Sunflower Steps Challenge to raise funds for Offaly Hospice

For anyone in Offaly either looking to motivate themselves for the New Year, or to incorporate some fun and philanthropy into their fitness routine, Offaly Hospice are partnering with local theatre company, Fun House, for a unique 8-week fitness challenge.

All proceeds from the Sunflowers Step Challenge will go to Offaly Hospice, and the good news is that the challenge is open to people of all levels, ages, and interests.

Registration for the Sunflower Steps Challenge is open to individuals or to teams of 2-5 people, and there will be prizes for the top fundraising groups or individuals, as well as prizes for the teams who complete the most steps.

Jay Origan, co-founder of Fun House Theatre Company, has said: “We are so excited to be launching the Sunflower Steps Challenge in aid of Offaly Hospice, and our upcoming inaugural production of Calendar Girls the Musical. The great thing about this challenge is that anyone can join in; we are using an app that allows all types of exercise to be converted into steps, for the purpose of being able to measure how each team is getting on in the competition. The main goal, however, is to raise funds for Offaly Hospice, which we are proud to contribute to. We also hope to spread awareness of the first musical that Fun House Theatre Company will be putting on, ‘Calendar Girls the Musical’”.

Calendar Girls The Musical will be running from May 1 to 5, 2024 in Esker Arts Centre in Tullamore. The hilarious musical is based on the true story of eleven women who famously posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund in 1999.

Inspired by themes in this musical, Fun House Theatre Company will be raising funds for Offaly Hospice through the Sunflower Steps Challenge, and further down the line there will be a Nude Calendar for sale with all proceeds going to Offaly Hospice.

The winners at the end of the 8-week challenge will win prizes kindly sponsored by The Old Warehouse Tullamore. The top fundraising team, and the team that reaches the highest number of steps, will win a team night out at the Old Warehouse, with food and drink provided. The ideal celebration at the end of 8 weeks of teamwork and earning vital funds for a worthy cause.

Professor Humphrey O’Connor, Chairman of Offaly Hospice spoke recently regarding the fundraiser, stating: “We are so grateful for support at this level towards the work we do at Offaly Hospice. We encourage anyone who can, to get involved in the Sunflower Steps Challenge, to spread awareness and help raise vital funds that will help the people and families who avail of our support.”

Offaly County Councillors Tony McCormack, Neil Feighery and Declan Harvey were at The Old Warehouse Tullamore to show their support for the upcoming launch. Cllr Harvey praised the local fundraising initiative and said it will "benefit people all over the Midlands in years to come." He encouraged everyone to get involved in some capacity, and said the fundraiser has the potential to "earn large amounts towards a vital service, and more importantly, it’s a good excuse to get together with family, friends, and colleagues in what should prove to be a lot of fun”.

The launch of the Sunflower Steps Challenge will take place on January 6 in The Old Warehouse Tullamore, with the challenge running for 8 weeks from January 8 to March 3.

Further information on all aspects of the Sunflower Steps Challenge, and details about how to get involved and register as either a team or an individual, are available from www.funhouse.ie or by emailing: hospicesunflowersteps@gmail.com