Outdoor classroom for Montenotte

Cork golfers have chipped in for a new outdoor classroom for horticulture students at the Cope Foundation.

The disability organisation has announced that funds raised the Cope Golf Alliance will go towards ‘sheomra’, which will be located near the Beech Hill Garden Centre in Montenotte.

The Cope Golf Alliance was established in 1978 and has raised more than €1.5 million for Cope Foundation since then. It recently held its AGM at Douglas Golf Club and presented a cheque for €43,500 to Cope Foundation.

Elaine Murphy, Communications and Fundraising Manager of Cope Foundation, said: “To have the support of the Cope Golf Alliance has been immensely important to us. €43,500 is an incredible amount to raise in aid of Cope Foundation. The funds raised will be dedicated to a ‘shomera’, which will be located near Beech Hill Garden Centre in Montenotte. This will be an extended classroom in which students from our training centres will further develop skills in horticulture.”

The alliance is made up of 120 golfers who are members of Cork, Douglas, Muskerry and Monkstown golf clubs. Each member pays an annual fee and has an opportunity to play in a series of fixtures in each club. The season starts in April and ends in October.

Brendan Howley, Treasurer of the Golf Alliance, said: “The success of the alliance is due to the extraordinary generosity of the 4 clubs who, since 1978, have given their course each year to the alliance at zero cost and also to the generosity of the sponsors for the golf outings.”