Schools across Ireland are being invited to dance for Jack and Jill
Picture it: the school hall, a banging playlist, and every child in the place absolutely losing their minds on the dancefloor. Now imagine it’s all happening in aid of one of the most important children’s charities in Ireland. That’s exactly what’s on the cards for Friday, 25th September, when the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation and Today FM invite primary and secondary schools across the country to take part in one massive, nationwide Power Hour School Disco.
Today FM’s Dave Moore will be providing the soundtrack live on air from 11am to 12pm, and schools are being asked to clear whatever space they can — the hall, the gym, the canteen, the yard — and dance. Just dance, for an hour, for Jack and Jill.
One hour of fun, one hour of care
The School Disco is part of the wider Power Hour for Jack and Jill campaign, a three-week nationwide fundraiser that’s currently running throughout September and asks people across Ireland to take one hour and turn it into something meaningful. Run, bake, walk, quiz, cycle, sing — the idea is that no matter who you are or what you’re able to do, you’ve got an hour to give.
And the numbers make it very simple to understand why it matters. Every €20 raised funds one hour of in-home nursing care and respite support for a Jack and Jill family. One hour. That’s it. That’s the cost of a round of coffees, or the grinds you nearly booked online at 11pm last Tuesday.
Jack and Jill currently supports more than 530 families across Ireland, providing up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care to families caring for children with severe learning disabilities, often alongside complex medical needs. The service runs seven days a week, with no means test, no red tape and no waiting list. For any parent who’s ever tried to navigate the HSE, that last part alone will stop you in your tracks.
What one hour actually means to a family
For most of us, an hour vanishes. It’s the school run, a scroll through the phone, half a podcast on the way to work. For a Jack and Jill family, it’s something else entirely.
Wexford parents Charlotte and Kevin Ring know that better than most. Their three-year-old son Seán Óg receives support from Jack and Jill, and Charlotte spoke honestly about what that time means to them at the campaign launch.
“Knowing that Seán Óg is being cared for by a qualified Jack and Jill nurse means that we can catch up on sleep, recharge and be ready for the day ahead. It also gives me the freedom to attend appointments, spend time with baby Sonaí or simply take a moment to myself, safe in the knowledge that Seán Óg is in the best possible hands.”
That’s what the kids will be dancing for on the 25th. Worth keeping in mind when you’re trying to convince a reluctant class of sixth years to take to the floor.
How to get your school involved
Schools signing up will get their own iDonate fundraising page, making it easy for parents, grandparents and the wider school community to donate and help power as many hours of care as possible. Dave Moore also needs help building the Ultimate Power Hour School Disco Playlist — pupils can nominate songs they reckon will get the whole school on its feet, and schools taking part could earn a shout-out live on Today FM on the day.
It’s not just schools getting creative either. At EmBrace Dance School, 237 students across 16 classes in Kildare and Meath are taking part in a week-long Power Hour Takeover, complete with mini danceathons and students wearing blue and orange for Jack and Jill. A Pilates class in Tipperary is going full ’80s for a Retro Reformer Power Hour. The Milford Mavericks in Donegal are lacing up for a line dance. The variety of it is genuinely brilliant.
If the school disco format isn’t for your family or community, you can still host a Power Hour of your own or simply make a donation. The campaign culminates on 25th September when Power Hour takes centre stage across Today FM, with listeners nationwide encouraged to tune in, donate and get involved.
To register your school, help build the playlist or find out more, visit jackandjill.ie/power-hour.