UCD's agricultural science society (AgSoc) has launched its grand raffle, continuing its long tradition of raising funds for charity.

This year’s raffle has been supported by a range of generous companies and organisations across the country, with a top prize of €1,000 cash, sponsored by the Irish Angus Cattle Society.

A number of other excellent prizes are on offer, with a night away in the Slieve Russell Hotel in Co Cavan; one tonne of ration from Nutrias; a calf meal feeder from Condon Engineering; and grass seed from Liffey Mills making up just some of the items up for grabs.

Other prizes include animal health products, overalls and calf jackets, as well as a voucher from AHV.

Charities

In what has been a difficult year for charities trying to raise funds, AgSoc’s chosen charities for 2020/21 are Embrace Farm and Strange Boat Donor Foundation.

Embrace Farm is a charity that works to build support networks for farming families who have been affected by a farm accident.

The Strange Boat Donor Foundation is an organ donation awareness charity, which also helps connect families of organ donors with recipients.

Virtual ‘Ag Week’

While Agsoc’s fundraising efforts have been curtailed compared with other years due to the pandemic, they have had success in running events during its first virtual 'Ag Week' in February.

The society put an online spin on some of the traditional events, including the infamous milk race, which this year involved students, staff and alumni in an online neck nomination-style event over the course of the week through social media.

It also held industry discussions through Zoom with awardwinning farmers and some of the team from the Irish Farmers Journal.

The society also completed a run around Ireland, in which students collectively ran over 3,171km, the perimeter of the island of Ireland.

The grand raffle will take place on 21 May and tickets can be purchased through the GoFundMe link on the society’s social media pages, or click here.