CARRYING a donor card could save someone’s life, says Kilcullen butcher and founder of the annual Punchestown Charity Race, James Nolan.

The chairman of the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund received a kidney transplant from his sister, Catherine Doyle, on July 25th, 1987. Three years later he set up the feature race and, to date, has raised €1.4 million for kidney related research.

Last December the fund donated €150,000 to open a new renal unit at Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

The 29th running of the race takes place at the famous Punchestown track on Saturday, April 28th, and is headlined this year by Irish international show jumper and world number 23 Bertram Allen. Battling it out over one mile and seven furlongs, 25 riders will raise a minimum of €1,500 for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund.

However, Allen has set himself a target of €30,000 and through a Go Fund Me page has raised just over €7,000 so far. If you would like to donate to this great cause, visit https://www.gofundme.com/bertram-allen-charity-race.