Barry Plant have been supporters of the Pat Cronin Foundation for three years as sponsors of their annual Be Wise Walk to the Valley fundraising event but have now decided to significantly increase their funding and support.

The Pat Cronin Foundation works with schools, sporting clubs and community groups to educate young people in an endeavour to reduce social violence and end the “coward punch”.

Matt and Robyn Cronin created the Foundation when their 19-year-old son, Pat, tragically died in 2016 after being struck from behind while assisting a mate. Matt Cronin, Founder and CEO of the Pat Cronin Foundation is thrilled to have the support of the Barry Plant Group. “We’ve worked with the Barry Plant group over the years on our annual fundraising walk and, as our Foundation has grown and become more ambitious in its goals, it was a natural next step to ask Barry Plant to step up and join us on the journey. We are delighted with their support, their connections in their communities and their enthusiasm for our mission.”

Barry Plant CEO, Mike McCarthy said the decision to support this group was an easy one. “Matt Cronin and his team have achieved amazing results with young people in highlighting the potentially deadly outcome of any level of violence and in helping provide guidelines to make wise decisions.”

Mike explains that every Barry Plant office is a local business, with strong connections in their local community – with schools and sporting clubs and community groups. “Being able to help the Pat Cronin Foundation deliver their life-saving message to such a broad young audience is a really worthwhile thing to do. Our franchisees were unanimous in backing this initiative.”

A major fundraiser for the year is the Be Wise Ball to be held on the 19th of June with Barry Plant being a major sponsor of the event.

Barry Plant will continue its support of Make-A-Wish – a partnership that has seen it raise over $750,000 to help grant wishes for seriously ill children.