Ratheane celebrates 35th year anniversary with memorial fundraiser
24th July 2024
A day of generosity for Candice
Residents, staff and family members from Ratheane Nursing Home came together on Saturday, 20th July to celebrate 35 years since it’s opening. Many local businesses supported the event with prize donations, stalls, pony rides, a BBQ, magic show, cheerleaders, blood checks, a car wash and ice cream van.
Thanks to the generosity of attendees and the community’s support, a remarkable £3,500 was raised for Air Ambulance NI, a charity close to the hearts of everyone working at Ratheane.
Care Assistant Jeanette McCloskey never imagined needing the Air Ambulance until her 15-year-old niece Candice was tragically hit by a lorry in November 2023. The Air Ambulance lifted Candice to hospital and without this service, Jeanette and her family wouldn’t have been able to see Candice before she sadly passed away just before her 16th birthday.
The McCloskey family joined the Macklin Group of care home in organising the heartfelt day which included tributes to long-term employees and residents. Gifts were awarded to staff who have worked at Ratheane for over twenty years and residents who have been in the home over ten years. What used to be the Mountsandel hospital, today Ratheane Nursing Home cares with heart for 75 residents in Coleraine.
Speaking on the occasion, Group Director Gareth Macklin expressed “We have members of the team who have been here from the very start, and equally new people through the doors. The one thing that has remained consistent at Ratheane is the exceptional welcome. The ethos is being one big family.”
The Air Ambulance relies on donations in Northern Ireland to get it off the ground. Each day, Air Ambulance NI needs to raise £6,850 and all contributions make a difference. This contribution will help the organization continue providing critical emergency services across Northern Ireland.
Click here to find out more about the work of the Air Ambulance in NI.