A New Home for Festina Lente

Having found an ideal location to move to, Festina Lente now faces its greatest challenge to date. To secure this new home, the Charity has to raise €3,000,000, and we need your help!

Our Journey

Festina Lente was founded 35 years ago. Back then, it was a tiny operation but in the period since its inception, we have become an essential Learning Centre where people can thrive and grow regardless of their circumstances.

A unique blend of horses, horticulture, and community brings us together as we strive to create new opportunities in learning for those with intellectual and physical challenges and offer excellence in education and training for those who choose to follow a career path in any of the above sectors.

The Festina Lente Foundation is now at a fascinating juncture. Having outgrown our current facilities in Bray and with our lease due to end shortly, we have located a permanent new home only a 10-minute drive from our current location. The successful relocation to new premises will not only mean the continuation of our existing services to 450 people each week, but also the further development of education and learning programmes to an additional 200 people weekly.

But we urgently need to secure funding to complete the purchase by Spring 2022 and then begin an ambitious two-year building project to develop a National Education Centre. Having experienced such a huge growth in demand for all of our programmes, this new facility will reduce our waiting lists and provide much needed care and training for those who need it.

We look forward to sharing our journey with you all.

Dr. Jill Carey, CEO

Our Appeal

Belfield House in Kilpedder, Co. Wicklow is a truly unique setting. It will offer both the space and facilities needed to see an already progressive Charity develop into a world class leader in the field of equine and horticultural related education serving those with difficulties in life.

Dr. Jill Carey has asked me to Chair a committee to help raise the finance to facilitate this move. Due to time constraints, the Committee decided it could not go down the usual fundraising routes. In conjunction with the Board of Festina Lente it was decided the Charity would seek loans from high net worth individuals, such loans to attract a 1% annual compound interest. Full details in relation to the loan notes can be found at the end of this brochure.

We are setting the term of the loan at seven years but in truth we can see a clear path to repaying the monies, either in part or in full, much earlier. Naturally though we would be delighted if any benefactor simply wished to donate to the Charity rather than invest in the loan notes.

Festina Lente is a highly engaged Charity with a proven track record in its chosen field. It is fully deserving of the opportunities which would open up to it in this bold and exciting move.

Please support Festina Lente to achieve this worthwhile goal.

Finbar Cahill, Fundraising Committee Chair

Our Plans:

A New Home for Festina Lente
  • Fundraise and purchase Belfield House by Spring 2022.
  • Develop a state-of-the-art National Education Centre by 2023/2024.
  • Broaden the existing range of equine assisted programmes to include; equine assisted coaching and leadership; an academy to rehome/retrain ex-racehorses and collaborate with employees in the racing/breeding industry.
  • Increase employment from 60 to 70 staff to further the eff ective delivery of our services.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility – develop an equine assisted training and engagement programme for the Corporate Sector thereby giving companies the opportunity to engage their staff in community outreach while also improving staff team-building and social skills.
  • Expand opportunities for internships and research while simultaneously benefiting from additional Service provision for children, teenagers and adults.
  • Partner with third level education institutions in the development of the above regarding research.

Be part of our future:

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR €3M FUNDRAISER APPEAL TO PURCHASE A NEW HOME FOR FESTINA LENTE

Donate as little as €5 to help us reach our goal by July 2022


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