Coca-Cola to Provide Funding of €125k to Communities in Ireland

Coca-Cola HBC Ireland today announced the details of 45 non-profit organisations shortlisted for the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’. These organisations are in with a chance to be awarded grants from the Fund, which stands at €125,000. One overall winner will be awarded €25K with ten runners up receiving €10K in funding.  The public vote will go live from this Saturday the 1^st of September and will close on 30th of September 2012. The public vote will count for 50% of the total vote with the judging panel awarding the remaining 50% of votes available.

The ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’, which is being operated in partnership with The Wheel and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) has been designed to support projects and initiatives that are promoting active lifestyles throughout the island of Ireland.

Speaking today, Erica Roseingrave, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca-Cola

HBCIreland said: “The response to the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ has been tremendous. We’ve received so many fantastic entries which showcase the inspirational work that takes place at grassroots level in communities all around Ireland. Out of the entries received the 45 that made the shortlist were those that either had a new or innovative idea or were ones that we felt have the potential to have a positive impact on larger groups of people in communities across the country.  We hope that the funding that is being made available will be used to fund projects that will have a long-term and sustainable benefit. We know from our experience last year that when organisations receive funding of this nature that they can do amazing things. We are very excited about the potential projects in the shortlist and would encourage members of the public to go online to www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou, review the applications and to vote for their favourite.”

“We would also like to thank all those that were not shortlisted for taking the time to apply for funding. We were very impressed by all the entries and amazed and humbled by the work that is being done – in many cases by dedicated and hard-working volunteers. We would like to wish all those organisations best wishes for the future. From this Saturday, the 1^st of September the shortlist will be available online and the public have up until the 30^th of September to cast their vote. In parallel with the public vote our judging panel will be casting their votes and together with our judges, I would like to wish the final 45 the best of luck in these final stages.”
The eleven winners of the grants will be announced in November 2012. One overall winner will receive a grant for €25,000 with the ten runners up receiving individual grants of €10,000.

The judging panel is made up of a variety of experts and promoters of active lifestyles who were selected because of their proven track-record in making positive contributions in this area. Judges include:

• Erica Roseingrave, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca-ColaHBCIreland
• Karl Henry, Personal Trainer
• Alan Quinlan, Former MusterRugby/IrelandPlayer
• Sarah O’Connor, Chief Executive at The Federation of Irish Sports
• Eoghan Murphy, Fine Gael TD inDublinSouth East
• Deirdre Garvey , CEO, The Wheel
• James Laverty, NICVA
• John Heaslip, CEO, Business in the Community NorthernIreland

Welcoming the shortlisted forty five, Deirdre Garvey, CEO, The Wheel said: “Once again, we are delighted to partner with Coca-Cola on this project. This is the second year of The Fund and it’s great to work with Coke and our fellow judges to identify the most worthy projects which could potentially go on to receive quite a significant amount of money from the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’. The great aspect of this Fund is that the money goes directly back into the communities around the country. The projects shortlisted rose to the top of the pile and I hope the public will play their part in choosing the winning eleven by logging on and casting their vote.”

To view the shortlist for the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ and vote for your favourite log onto www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou before midnight on the 30^th September 2012.