Eamon off to Spain to help Downpatrick body

Eamon off to Spain to help Downpatrick body

6 March 2013

A DOWNPATRICK man will be taking to the saddle in Spain next month to raise money for a key local charity.

Eamon Dalton is planning to do the Majorcan Cycle in April to help raise funds for Mainstay DRP which is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year and wants to build new life-changing homes and services for people with a learning disability and autism.

The idea for Mainstay DRP started in 1989 when a group of concerned parents and carers of people with a learning disability in County Down joined with one goal, to create a local service close to their family homes providing the high quality care and support their loved ones needed.

The next year a charity called the Downe Residential Project was formed recognising the need for families and carers of those living with a learning disability to also get support and assistance in the area.

The charity started by providing residential care in Downpatrick in response to the lack of necessary services available at the time. Today the project is called Mainstay DRP and it has expanded and developed the type of care to individuals as their needs change.

Today it is one of the biggest employers in Downpatrick providing jobs to 

135 people and now people from outside Down District want to benefit from their quality care and support services.

Mainstay DRP has embarked on an ambitious Building a Dream project to create a state-of-the-art purpose built development for older people with learning disabilities in Downpatrick. The venture will cost £3m to construct and a site has already been secured at Killough Road.

When Eamon and his 21 fellow cyclists join together for the Majorcan Cycle it will be the highlight of Mainstay DRP’s celebratory year and will raise money for the Building a Dream project.

Eamon said: “I used to cycle a lot about 20 years ago and then I started again last April. It’s good exercise and I like to help people.

“It’s better for my health. It feels healthier and it 

clears the head on the open road. Plus I am hoping to raise £1,500 plus for Mainstay DRP.

“We are going to have a few fundraisers here in the Arkle Bar, but I like to go to other places too. I have also received help from Mark in Murphy’s Bar in Downpatrick as well.

“There will be 22 people in our team from Northern Ireland for the cycle and we haven’t met yet, but we are meeting at the end of the month in Majorca.

“Mainstay DRP are very helpful and I’m glad that I am doing something for them. This will be to help them build new premises for respite care. It gives you a good sense of satisfaction to be helping them.

“I did the Dublin Mara Cycle last year for the Friends of the Cancer Centre and raised £1,300. Hopefully now I will do this regularly for different charities,” he said.

For further information on Mainstay DRP and the Majorcan cycle you can contact Jim Mulholland on 028 4461 7184 or 07715 292 451. He can also be contacted on jim@mainstaydrp.org