Kilkenny charity nominated in national campaign

Kilkenny mental health and suicide prevention charity Teac Tom has been nominated in a national competition, The BIG Christmas Giveback, which seeks to shine a light on local heroes in the community.

The charity was set up in 2014 by Angela Hayes following the tragic loss of both her husband and son to suicide. Teac Tom supports over 100 people each week for counselling across its two sites in Kilkenny and Laois, operates a 24/365 phone line, provides an emergency response to suicide and runs a family support group.

“I was 32 with four sons aged 4-13 when my husband took his own life,” Angela said. “I didn’t know what to do or where to turn, both in dealing with my own grief and helping my sons to manage theirs. My second eldest son, Thomas, was so funny and bubbly. He really struggled with his grief, and tragically took his own life at the age of 19 on the anniversary of his dad’s death.” 

“In 2014, Alan wrote a song called Survivor that had an incredible public response and really highlighted the lack of support services in Ireland for people affected by or considering suicide. I realised that I didn’t want another family to go through what I’d gone through and set up Teac Tom in memory of my husband Tommy and beautiful son Thomas.”

“Teac Tom gives people hope when they have none. Every day, we provide a supportive, non-judgmental space, helping people to find the strength to go on. Today, we provide over 5,000 counselling sessions each year, including 400 sessions for children and adolescents,” she outlined.

“As a charity, we don’t receive any government funding and have to generate €25,000 every month to keep offering the services we do, which are all free. I truly believe that if our family would have had access to the services we offer at Teac Tom then my son Thomas would still be with us today.”

SEE ALSO: Kilkenny tech company shortlisted for national award

The BIG Christmas Giveback asks for nominations for local people, community groups and organisations in Kilkenny and beyond who are having a positive impact in their community. The person or organisation with the most nominations in the competition will win a €1,000 Town and City Gift Card, such as the Kilkenny Gift Card, with one person who nominated them winning a €500 gift card.

Angela, who received the Humanitarian of the Year award at the seventh annual Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards in 2025 added: “Winning the BIG Christmas Giveback and the Kilkenny Gift Card prize would be absolutely amazing.”

“I use the card myself and love the whole ‘support local’ ethos behind it. If we won, we’d use the cards to buy the items we need and use on a day to day basis in the centres, from tea/coffee and food to furnishings.”

Led by Kilkenny Chamber, the physical and digital Kilkenny Gift Card launched in 2024 as an upgrade to the paper Kilkenny Gift Vouchers introduced in 2014. Over €185,000 in sales have been generated through the new card to date. 

Cards can be spent with over 130 local businesses and nominations can be made for a person or organisation in the BIG Christmas Giveback at: www.lovelocalwin.ie. 

TAP HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS