Family day out for Kildangan National School Puckane
A big attraction this year will be the ‘Celebrity Wall’ puissance, a new addition in which a large group of well known local personalities will take on a daring horse jump challenge. Titled ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Over It’, the horses in the event are kindly sponsored by Nenagh Equestrian Centre. There will also be a pony puissance and horse jumping for children, as well as free refreshments on the day. The BSR sets out from and returns to The Thatched Cottage in Ballycommon where the fun continues into the evening with a barbeque, live music, karaoke, raffle and screening of video footage of the day’s events. Meanwhile apparel and other merchandise will be available on the day. With some 120 jumps across a variety of terrain, the BSR is open to riders of all levels. The organisers are especially keen to see new riders getting involved and point out that riders can choose between three different groups – the Mad Hackers, Happy Hackers or Leisurely Hackers – and the jumps are optional. Sponsorship cards are available in many local pubs and businesses. Riders who raise more than the entry fee on their card will have the fee waived and riders that raise more than €100 will be entered into a draw with some fantastic prizes to be won. The organisers of the event will soon be approaching local businesses in search of sponsorship. Businesses can have their advertising displayed on jumps and in the BSR booklet, as well as the DVD of the event. There will also be a ‘patron pack’ with a T-shirt and other offers for anyone who wants to contribute to the event in a private capacity.
It’s all in aid of the playground project at Kildangan NS where the school management has set a target of €70,000 to provide enhanced play facilities for all of its 137 pupils. The school’s ‘Mírmeara’ special class for autism was set up in 2006. One of only three special classes of its kind in the locality, Mírmeara serves a huge catchment area and is presently availed of by six children.
To date, the inclusion of pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) within the mainstream setting has been very successful. Kildangan NS would now like to extend this success to the playground and social setting by including and uniting pupils in play. The proposed playground would benefit the whole school community, presenting opportunities of learning through play that would be accessible and usablefor all pupils.
The playground is to feature modular play equipment, which is carefully researched to incorporate incidental opportunities for social, physical, cognitive, emotional and creative child development. The concept promotes the wellbeing, physical, mental and social development of children through play – an underpinning philosophy of the ‘’Aistear’ Early Childhood Curriculum.
Note that the BSR is a free event for spectators but donations will be invited on the day. The event is held in conjunction with the North Tipperary Foxhounds and with the generosity of local landowners.
For more information, including details of how you can become a patron, email mirmeara@yahoo.ie, phone 087-2430546 or contact any member of the BSR committee. See also the Facebook page ‘Bally Common Sr’ for further updates over the coming weeks.