Raphoe woman Lesley Ann Cech last night painted an eye-catching collection of emoji faces on silage bales.

Lesley Ann Cech and her family are proudly displaying a collection of silage bales on their farm in Raphoe for a good cause.

The purple bales have been painted with emoji faces to create an eye-catching sight to support the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation (CMRF) Crumlin.

The Kilpatrick family in Raphoe were eager to take part in the Go Purple for Crumlin campaign this year and Lesley Ann was keen to add her own modern twist.

Lesley Ann said she had the bright idea to encourage her family to wrap the purple bales before she added the popular emoji symbols.

“I saw the ad asking farmers to support Crumlin Children’s Hospital by buying purple wrap, so I said to daddy and my two brothers about this and they were all for it.

“They bought the wrap and did their work. Last year was pink wrap for breast cancer so they mixed it up with both colours this year.

“My dad and brothers did all the work getting the bales ready and I painted them last night,” Lesley Ann said.

This farm is just one such field taking part in the Go Purple for Crumlin challenge in Donegal.

In 2016, silage fields across Ireland were dotted with purple bales which resulted in €14,000 being raised to support CMRF Crumlin’s work with some of Ireland’s sickest children.

This year, CMRF Crumlin are asking farmers and contractors to support the campaign by choosing to buy purple bale wrap which is supplied by Zeus Packaging and distributed through ATC Group. This initiative is part of a global project launched by Zeus to support children’s charities across the countries they operate in.

Every year, over 145,000 children and their families, including those from Donegal, visit Crumlin Children’s Hospital from across the length and breadth of Ireland.

CMRF Crumlin is the fundraising body for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and The National Children’s Research Centre. It ensures that vital facilities, equipment and infrastructure; as well as accommodation for families and special requirements for some of Ireland’s sickest children are provided.

CRMF Crumlin are encouraging everyone to take plenty of photographs and post them on social media using the hastag #Purple4Crumlin to raise awareness and help create a buzz around this exciting fundraising campaign!

You can purchase this Limited Edition Purple Balewrap and bale Netwrap in Inishowen Co-operative Buncrana, Inishowen Co-operative Carndonagh and Bens Topline Hardware in Drumcliffe or call 07493-74555 for more details.

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