Tara Glen Golf & Country Club, Ballymoney, Co. Wexford paid tribute to the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) with a fundraising open day, raising £17,750 for this worthy cause.

Captain of the Tara Glen Golf & Country Club Pat Edwards decided to host the event as a tribute to his late sister, Margaret, who was visually impaired. "The National Council for the Blind of Ireland had always been a part of my life through Margaret's continuous involvement with it’ explained Pat. "It just seemed right to acknowledge and pay tribute to it."

Twenty eight teams, paying £200 each, participated in the open day which was held on 25 August. "But the big surprise was the auction that evening which included tickets to see Manchester United in Old Trafford," said David Popplewell, Manager of the Tara Glen Golf & Country Club. "It took considerable effort to raise the goods for auction, get people to attend and then to keep them bidding, but we were totally taken aback by the response of the community - they just kept giving!"

At the presentation of the cheque by Pat Edwards, Captain, Billy Slyne, Honorary Secretary and Dave Popplewell, Manager of Tara Glen Club to Desmond Kenny, Chief Executive and Marjorie O’Hara, Fundraising Manager of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland, Desmond Kenny expressed his gratitude to the members of the club and their families and friends.

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland is a not for profit voluntary organisation which offers a wide range of services to over 6,000 people experiencing problems with their eyesight. Services include mobility and daily living skills training, peer counselling and family therapy, advice, information and support from a nationwide network of community resource workers, centre based rehabilitation, low vision clinic, talking book and Braille libraries. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland also provides a bi-monthly magazine, information and equipment resource centre, employment support service and technology assessment and support unit.