Mayo Autism Camp hailed for great work

The children's charity Variety Ireland was in Mayo last week to meet a fabulous group of volunteers who run camps for children with disabilities during school breaks.

Mayo Autism Camp (MAC) was founded in 2019 by parents of children with disabilities, Collette Heaney and Elisha Sweeney.

The great support of all at Manulla FC, who support and provide the facilities for the camps at their grounds, means children with disabilities have a safe space to visit and participate in a range of activities throughout the year.

The Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, also visited the camp last week in support of Variety Ireland’s Recycle Mobility Programme.

The initiative allowed Variety Ireland to provide MAC with one of its special mobility trikes for children using the camp. This ensures that children with mobility issues can be included in cycling activities with their friends at the camp.

Minister Naughton was joined by a group of guests that included Minister of State Alan Dillion, Keira Keogh TD, Cllr Ger Deere, Senator Mark Duffy, Charlie Lambert of Mayo Sports Partnership as well as the dedicated members of Manulla FC, John Mulroy, Aileen Durkan, Leo Heaney and Tommy Rumley. Other attendees included Padraic Carolan of the HSE and Agnes Lunny and Jo Corcoran from a wonderful organisation supporting people with autism called Positive Futures.

Minister Naughton and her department provide vital reoccurring financial support to Variety Ireland’s Recycle Mobility Programme, allowing it to give individuals and groups with children with mobility needs the help they need in securing special mobility trikes.

Since the foundation of the programme in 2022, Variety Ireland has provided nearly 700 special mobility trikes to children with disabilities and groups around Ireland. This has been achieved with the kind support of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Transport, HSE, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and corporate donors. 

"One of the many benefits of our Recycle Mobility Programme is to ensure value for money to the taxpayer," said a spokesperson for Variety Ireland. "This means when a family are provided with financial assistance to purchase a special mobility trike, they are then entered into our database so when their child outgrows their trike, it is then passed to the charity who NCT the trike and pass this onto another child, special school or group. The family can then apply for further funding for a biker trike for their child.

"Not only does this prevent old trikes from reaching harmful landfill sites, but also ensures we extend the life span of each trike so we can pass it on to help other children with mobility issues."

Minister Naughton praised Collete and Elisha as well as Manulla FC for their hard work in running such an inclusive camp for children with disabilities.

"The fact they now have a special mobility trike as part of Variety Ireland’s Recycle Mobility Programme is brilliant as it now allows children visiting the camp to have access to safe cycling. This programme ensures children and groups across Ireland who cater for children with disabilities continue to have equal access to safe cycling.” 

Collette Heaney thanked Variety Ireland and Minister Naughton for providing the trike. 

"It’s going to ensure that children with various mobility issues can now be included in cycling activities throughout the year at the camp. It means a lot to all of the children, parents and members at Mayo Autism Camp who put a huge amount of work into looking after children with disabilities who come to our camp throughout the year. We are so pleased that all our work and that of parents and members here at Manulla FC and Mayo Autism Camp is finally being recognised."

There was lots of fun enjoyed on the day with special thanks to Garda Olive Lafferty from the Mayo Garda Community Policing Unit who was magnificent and patient while she entertained the children with sirens and flashing lights in her garda vehicle. Also on hand were the team from the Order of Malta in Castlebar who also entertained the children with their ambulance.

Finally, it’s also important to recognise Javier Serantes of Féile Catering from Carnacon who provided beautiful food and refreshments for free.

Parents with children with disabilities in Mayo can contact Mayo Autism Camp through their Facebook page.