The Irish Football Association and iPRO has donated water to healthcare workers on the COVID-19 frontline, diverting a consignment of water that was meant for Northern Ireland’s international football teams.
iPRO, the Official Hydration Partner of the Irish FA, delivered over 6000 bottles of water to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park last month for use by Northern Ireland’s men’s and women’s international teams. However, with international football postponed until further notice both organisations decided the water would have better use elsewhere.
Sean Murphy, Chief Operating Officer at the Irish Football Association, stated: “Football is rightly taking a back seat during the coronavirus pandemic and we felt this was a good way to make use of the water originally destined for our international teams.
“Everyone has to do their bit in the ongoing battle against this deadly virus, however frontline healthcare workers are in the eye of the storm and we hope this, in a small way, will help bolster their efforts.
“We would like to thank iPRO for their support in making this donation and we would also like to thank our logistics partner, TR Logistics, for kindly arranging the transport of the water from the stadium to the donation centre.”
The water has been donated to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and is now set to support workers in the NHS Nightingale Centre in Belfast as well as across a range of other locations in the Belfast area, including care homes.
iPRO Commercial Manager, Lucy Darrall, concluded: “It is an absolute privilege to work with the Irish FA and show our gratitude for the hard work key workers are doing in this time of need.
“Hydration is key to boosting the body’s first line of defence against illness so we hope that our donation can help both staff and patients at the Belfast NHS facilities. Is it important that staff working long hours under stressful conditions stay hydrated, especially those wearing full body PPE.
“iPRO would like to extend a huge thank you to all those working on the front line during this time and our best wishes to everyone, we will get through this!”
