Skip to content

Our Community

Overview      Environment      People      Governance

We’re committed to creating positive social impact in the places where we operate, recognising that our hotels are part of the everyday life of their local communities as well as destinations for our guests. Through long-standing local partnerships, fundraising initiatives, volunteering, skills development programmes and support for local organisations, we aim to contribute in meaningful and practical ways. Our approach is centred on community wellbeing, inclusion and opportunity, helping to strengthen local connections, support important causes and create lasting value beyond our hotel walls.

How We Deliver Community Impact

Community Spotlight: Harvest Café & South Westmeath Hospice

At the Sheraton Athlone Hotel, the Harvest Café team hosts an annual coffee morning in support of South Westmeath Hospice, raising vital funds for hospice and palliative care services in the local area. Events like this are about more than fundraising alone, they also create a sense of community, bringing colleagues, guests and local residents together around a cause that touches many families.

The event is especially meaningful as it honours the memory of colleague Irina Maslova, who dedicated 19 years to Sheraton Athlone Hotel and Harvest Café. In remembering Irina through this initiative, the team reflects the values of care, compassion and togetherness that sit at the heart of both hospitality and community support.

Charity Partners

Our charity partnerships reflect a commitment to supporting causes that matter deeply to our colleagues, guests and local communities. Through fundraising events, awareness initiatives and practical support, we work with organisations that provide essential services and advocacy across health, wellbeing and family support. These relationships allow our teams to rally around important causes throughout the year, creating opportunities to make a tangible contribution while strengthening a culture of empathy, generosity and shared purpose.

 

  • Pieta House
  • Temple Street Children’s Hospital
  • Little Blue Hero
  • Shannon’s Hope Line
  • Solas
  • Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association
  • Irish Parkinson’s Association

Local Clubs & Wellbeing

We support many local sports, recreation and community organisations as a way of encouraging participation, connection and healthier communities. These partnerships help sustain the clubs and groups that play such an important role in local life. Bringing people together across generations, promoting physical and mental wellbeing, and creating opportunities for teamwork, confidence and belonging. By supporting clubs and associations in the communities around our hotels, we aim to contribute to vibrant places where people can stay active, connected and engaged.

 

  • St. Brigid’s and St. Dominic’s GAA
  • Buccaneers RFC
  • Hodson Bay Celtic Soccer Club
  • Athlone Golf Club
  • Athlone Sub Aqua
  • Athlone Soroptimists
  • Salthill Knocknacarra GAA Club
Transition Year programmes

Skills, Education & Pathways into Hospitality

In partnership with local schools, our transition year programmes provide structured and supportive work experience that gives students a practical introduction to the world of hospitality. Students are exposed to the day-to-day operations of a busy hotel environment and gain insight into the wide range of career paths available across departments, from food and beverage to front office, housekeeping, events and operations. Alongside practical experience, the programme helps build confidence, professionalism and workplace readiness through mentoring, guidance and real-world learning. It is designed not only to support skills development, but also to give young people a positive and encouraging first experience of work.

 

 

 

  • Practical experience across hotel departments in a safe, professional environment.
  • Support with core employability skills such as communication, teamwork, time management and attention to detail.
  • Recognition through graduation and certificates celebrating achievement.
Transition Year programmes

At Galway Bay Hotel, our work experience placements support approximately 130 students and deliver around 2,600 hours of work experience over the course of a school year.

This level of engagement reflects a meaningful investment in young people at a formative stage, helping students develop practical skills, confidence and a stronger understanding of the workplace while also building awareness of hospitality as a rewarding career option.

Our Commitments

Our commitments help turn community support into consistent action across our hotels. They are designed to ensure that community engagement is not occasional or informal but embedded into how we operate all year round. From guest education and greener choices to colleague volunteering and support for local partners, these goals create a clear framework for building stronger local partnerships and increasing our impact over time.

  • Deliver at least one customer wellbeing event per month, per hotel.
  • Educate guests on our community partnerships and involvement.
  • Encourage guests to make greener choices (water reduction, temperature control, waste segregation, and opting into our “Keen to be Green” initiative).
  • Continued support for local community partners (donations, fundraising and invested hours).
  • Engage colleagues in weekly litter picks as part of local Tidy Towns initiatives.

Order of Malta Coffee Morning

Galway Litter Pick-Up Walk

Marist Secondary School Partnership

Community & Local Sourcing

We aim to reduce environmental impact across our supply chain by prioritising local and sustainably sourced products wherever possible. This approach helps to shorten supply chains, reduce transport-related emissions and support producers, growers and suppliers within the regions where we operate.

By choosing local more often, we can contribute to local economic resilience while also offering guests a stronger sense of place through products and experiences that are rooted in the surrounding community. In this way, sourcing decisions become part of a wider commitment to responsible hospitality and community support.

Local Employment & Community Connection

Providing employment opportunities within the localities surrounding each of our hotels is an important way for us to contribute to the long-term strength and resilience of our communities. By employing people from the areas in which we operate, we help keep income, skills and opportunity within the local economy, supporting individuals and families while also contributing to wider local prosperity.

Local employment can create a valuable ripple effect, with wages spent in nearby shops, services and businesses, helping to sustain economic activity and support the vibrancy of the towns and communities connected to our hotels.

Employing local people also plays an important role in helping us build strong and positive relationships with our communities. Colleagues who live locally bring valuable understanding of the area, its people and its character, helping us create more authentic guest experiences while ensuring our hotels remain connected to the places they serve.

Just as importantly, local employment demonstrates that our presence brings tangible benefits to the community, strengthening trust, fostering goodwill and reinforcing our role as a responsible local employer and community partner.