Citroën Ireland is marking four years of its partnership with Barretstown by expanding its vehicle fleet, further strengthening its support for children, young people and families affected by cancer and other serious illnesses. The addition of two new vans, a Citroën Berlingo and Relay, brings the charity’s Citroën fleet to six vehicles, helping families access its life-changing psychosocial programmes while supporting the day-to-day operation of its facilities and services.
Established in 2022, the partnership has provided valuable transport assistance for thousands of seriously ill children, young people and their families. From transporting campers and volunteers to supporting outreach activities and essential maintenance across Barretstown’s 500-acre campus, the vehicles play an important role in ensuring its programmes continue to operate effectively. The expanded fleet includes a wheelchair-accessible Citroën ë-Berlingo and a nine-seater ë-SpaceTourer, alongside the longstanding use of an ë-C4. In addition to providing vehicles, Citroën Ireland will continue raising funds for Barretstown through a range of fundraising initiatives and activities.
Dee Ahearn, CEO of Barretstown, welcomed the continued support, saying: “For a family living with serious illness, getting to camp should be one less thing to worry about. Citroën’s support helps us turn that journey into an opportunity for children, young people and their families to step away from the pressures of illness and experience the connection and encouragement our programmes offer. From bringing families and volunteers to camp to supporting our outreach work and caring for our campus, this partnership makes a practical difference every day. We appreciate Citroën’s continued support and look forward to building on our partnership for the benefit of the people we serve at Barretstown.”
Colin Sheridan, Managing Director of Citroën Ireland, added: “For us, this partnership is about more than providing vehicles. It is about what those vehicles make possible: a family reaching camp, a volunteer getting there to help, or the Barretstown team taking its support beyond the campus. Since 2022, we have been proud to play a part in that work. Expanding the fleet to six vehicles, alongside our ongoing fundraising, is a practical way to deepen our commitment and help restore the lives of more children, young people and families across Ireland.”
The continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping children, young people and their families access vital therapeutic and psychosocial support, with reliable transport removing one of the practical barriers to participation. Founded in 1994 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, Barretstown is Ireland’s leading provider of psychosocial care for children, young people and families affected by cancer and other serious illnesses. Since its establishment, the charity’s programmes have reached more than 175,000 young people and generated over €2.2 billion in social value.
