The main aim of Starcamp is to build self esteem by encouraging children to let their inner star shine.

The days will include Hip Hop dances, chart-topping songs, acting scenes from TV or the Movies and much more!

Camps are starting the 4th of July so and are happening in locations all over Ireland.

For information on how to book your place please click here.

Samara Jones (age 9, Killiney), Mary Kennedy and Tara O' Sullivan (age 9, Glasnevin)

The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) has announced that the national Sunflower Days collection sponsored by Irish Pride for local hospice services will take place next month on  Friday, June 10^th and Saturday, June 11^th and urged the public to continue to give generously to support hospice care in their areas.

With no statutory funding available for capital projects, hospice volunteers are pulling out all the stops to fundraise to ensure that progress is made in implementing government policy on palliative care.

In 2009, ‘Palliative Care Services – Five Year Development Framework 2009-2013′ was published by the Health Service Executive and outlined key developments to take place to fill deficits in the palliative care service in Ireland.  The Framework outlined 41 national priority actions to deliver over 272 posts and 203 specialist in-patient (hospice) beds over a five year period.

Kevin O’Dwyer, CEO of Marymount Hospice in Cork and Chairman of the Hospice CEO group, commented, “Valiant efforts are being made by the voluntary sector to fundraise and ensure that some progress is made.  It’s about staying positive and ambitious in this time of crisis. Despite the difficult economic times, hospice services must continue to expand.  The dying cannot wait.  Ensuring a good death should not depend on the state of our economy.”

For the second year, the IHF announces “Irish Pride Sunflower Heroes” an initiative which honours the work of people throughout the country, who work tirelessly on behalf of their local hospice, either caring for patients, as volunteers or selflessly raising money.

Therese Lynch, Managing Director of Irish Pride said, “Irish Pride is proud to be associated with Sunflower Days, one of the most popular national fundraising events in Ireland each year and a major source of income for hospices and voluntary hospice groups. We particularly salute the “Irish Pride Hospice Heroes” and are delighted to give recognition to people who over the years go the extra mile for their local hospice, through volunteering, supporting or fundraising work.”

People will be able to support their local hospice service by buying a sunflower pin or sunflower seeds for €2 each from collectors on the streets of cities, towns and villages around the country.  Sunflower Days, which is proudly sponsored by Irish Pride is a major source of income for hospices and voluntary hospice groups countrywide.  The IHF coordinates the event on behalf of the hospice movement but all of the funds raised locally stay locally.  There is an urgent need for volunteers to sell sunflower pins and anyone who has a few hours to spare on June the 10^th or 11^th is asked to please contact their local hospice.

Hospice or palliative care involves the total care of patients and their families at the stage in a serious illness, where the focus has switched from treatment aimed at cure to ensuring quality of life.  Almost 30,000 people die annually in Ireland and over 6,000 people use hospice services every year. It is estimated that up to 13,000 patients will require access to hospice and specialist palliative care in 2016.

International studies have shown that patients using hospice services consume at least 25% fewer medical resources than those who access “usual care.”  This saving is linked to the fact that many palliative care patients are cared for and die at home and they use much less acute hospital services.  Hospice patients also live longer and in greater comfort and dignity.

For more information about Sunflower Days and how you can become a volunteer please visit www.sunflowerdays.ie

“We developed Vita Kids following a year long research and development project supported by Bord Bia. Our objective was to create a bread that all children would love and that would address the main areas of dietary concern for our children”, stated Therese Lynch, Managing Director, Irish Pride.

The project was completed in association with some of Ireland’s leading nutritionists. Julie Dowsett commented, “With the development of Vita Kids, Irish Pride has introduced a world class product, formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the Irish children.”

Irish Pride Vita Kids is preservative free, has 25% lower salt and is a source of Omega 3, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin D essential to build healthy blood, bones and bodies.

The Facts:

* 33% of Irish girls and 20% of boys don’t eat enough calcium.

2 slices of Irish Pride Vita Kids provides 11% of a child’s requirement for calcium

* 13% Of Irish Boys and 35% of Irish girls do not eat enough iron

2 slices of Irish Pride Vita Kids16% of a child’s requirement for iron.

* 10% of Irish children do not eat enough Vitamin c.

2 slices of Irish Pride Vita Kids provides 20% of a child’s requirement for Vitamin C.

* 20% of Irish Boys and 33% of Irish girls don’t eat the recommended amount of folic acid.

2 slices of Irish Prides Vita Kids provides 11% of a child’s requirement for folic acid.

Parents you can be confident that Irish Pride Vita Kids bread is a simple way of ensuring that your children are getting the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. So keep your eyes peeled for this on a supermarket shelf near you!

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part and texted the show.
We feel it was a great introduction for Vita Kids

A big congratulations to all our winners who came from all over Ireland. We hope that you have a fantastic family holiday in Trabolgan Holiday Village and come home with m

A delicious & refreshing treat!
Serves: 1
Ready in: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Slices of Irish Pride 2 in 1
• Kiwi
• Strawberries
• Mango
• Flaked Coconut

Preparation Method

• Simply combine a few of your favourite fruits, such as kiwi, strawberries and mango.
• Toast some flaked coconut, sprinkle it over a lightly buttered slice of Irish Pride 2 in 1 bread, add the mixed fruit and top with a second slice of bread.

Ingredients

• 2 Slices of Irish Pride Wholemeal bread
• Yoghurt or Mayonnaise
• Curry Powder
• A Cooked Chicken Breast
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Red Onion

Preparation Method

• Mix a spoon of yoghurt / mayonnaise with a dash of curry powder (or your favourite spices).
• Chop up a cooked chicken breast and place onto a slice of Irish Pride Wholemeal bread.
• Lightly spread some of the curry mixture over the chicken, and add some fresh crisp lettuce, tomato and red onion. Then complete the sandwich with a second slice of bread.

Ingredients

• 2 slices of Irish Pride Round Hi-Fibre
• Chopped Dates
• Walnuts and Pecan Nuts
• Low Fat Cream Cheese
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preparation Method

• Finely chop dates, walnuts and pecan nuts and mix in with the low fat cream cheese.
• Spread the mixture generously over a slice of Irish Pride Round Hi-Fibre then sprinkle with the freshly ground black pepper.
• Top with a second slice of Round Hi-Fibre.

• Irish Pride Bunsters Big Bun
• One Beef Burger
• Onion
• Tomato
• Crisp Iceburg Lettuce
• Ketchup or a dressing of your choice

Preparation Method
Barbeque or grill your burger, place lettuce, tomato and onion onto the Bunsters burger bun and then top with the burger. Spread with Ketchup or your favourite dressing and add the second half of the burger bun then enjoy.