Oracle Employees Support New World Record for IYF Children's Hour
- by Maria Sandu
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960 students ‘crouched’, ‘touched’ and ‘set’ under the
watchful eye of International Rugby Referee Alain Roland, and supported by
Oracle employees, to successfully set a new world record for the World’s
Largest Scrum to raise funds and awareness for the Irish Youth Foundation.
Last year Oracle Employees supported the Irish Youth Foundation
by donating funds from their payroll through the Giving Tree Appeal. We were
the largest corporate donor to the IYF by raising €3075. To acknowledge our
generosity the IYF asked Oracle Leadership in Society team members to
participate in their most recent campaign which was to break the Guinness Book
of Records by forming the World’s Largest Rugby Scrum. This was a wonderful
opportunity for Oracle’s Leadership in Society to promote the charity, support
education and to make a mark in the Corporate Social Responsibility field. The
students who formed the scrum also gave up their lunch money and raised a total
of €3000. This year we hope Oracle Employees will once again support the IYF
with the challenge to match that amount.
On the 24th of October the sun shone down on the streaming
lines of students entering the field. 480 students were decked out in bright
red Oracle T-Shirts against the other 480 in blue and white jerseys - all ready
to form a striking scrum. Ryan Tubridy the host of the event made the opening
announcement and with the blow of a whistle the Scum began. 960 students locked
tight together with the Leinster players also at each side. Leinster Manager
Matt O’Connor was there along with presenters Ryan Tubridy and George Hook to
assist with getting the boys in line and keeping the shape of the scrum.
In accordance with Guinness Book of Records rules, the ball
was fed into the scrum properly by Ireland and Leinster scrum-half, Eoin
Reddan, and was then passed out the line to his Leinster team mates including
Ian Madigan, Brendan Macken and Jordi Murphy, also proudly sporting the Oracle
T-Shirt.
The new World Record was made, everyone gave a big cheer and
thankfully nobody got injured!
Thank you to everyone in Oracle who donated last year through
the Giving Tree Appeal. Your generosity has gone a long way to support local
groups both. Last year’s donation was so substantial that the IYF were able to
spread it across two youth groups:
The first being Ballybough Youth Project in Dublin. The funding gave them the chance to give 24
young people from their project the chance to get away from the inner city and
the problems and issues they face in their daily life by taking a trip to the
Cavan Centre to spend a weekend away in a safe and comfortable environment; a
very rare holiday in these young people’s lives.
The Rahoon Family Centre. Used the money to help secure the
long term sustainability of their project. They act as an educational/social/fun project that has been working with
disadvantaged children for the past 16 years. Their aim is to change young
people’s future with fun /social education and supporting them so they can
maximize their creativity and potential.
We hope you can help support this worthy cause again this
year, so keep an eye out for the Children’s Hour and Giving Tree Appeal!
About the Irish Youth Foundation
The IYF provides opportunities for marginalised children and
young people facing difficult and extreme conditions to experience success in
their lives. It passionately believes
that achievement starts with opportunity. The IYF’s strategy is based on
providing safe places where children can go after school; to grow, to learn and
to play; and providing opportunities for teenagers from under-served
communities to succeed and excel in their lives. The IYF supports innovative
grassroots projects operated by dedicated professionals who understand young
people and care about them. This allows
the IYF to focus on supporting young people at risk of dropping out of school
and, in particular, on the critical transition from primary to secondary
school; and empowering teenagers from disadvantaged neighborhoods to become
engaged in their local communities. Find out more here www.iyf.ie
