Mullingar creches dress down for

Last Friday (March 27) creches and play groups in and around Mullingar and across the country went bananas for pyjamas and spent the day in the comfort of their cosiest nightwear.Grovelands Childcare at Marketpoint, Step-by-Step Creche at College Vale and the Greenpark Montessori creche all took part in the pyjama day to raise funds for the Irish Make-A-Wish foundation.Make-A-Wish Foundation in Ireland strives to grant the wishes of children aged between 3 and 18 years living with a life-threatening illness. A wish granted provides respite from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment.Since its inception in 1992, Make-A-Wish in Ireland has granted wishes for over 720 special children and realised their greatest wish and experienced the hope, strength and joy each wish provides. In all possible cases Make-A-Wish grants the child"s first wish ensuring that all immediate family members participate. In doing so they provide long-lasting and happy memories for those relatives, whatever the future may hold.The pyjama day started in Ireland five years ago and since that time creches and playgroups around Westmeath have raised thousands of euros for the charity.Grovelands childcare which has been heavily involved in the charity day raised over €17,000 in 2007 and 2008 by encouraging parents to take their sponsor cards around their workplaces.