Record Funds Raised for Local Charities

A reception to celebrate the record amounts raised for local charities took place on Thursday, 31 May 2018, in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Boardroom. Former Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew presented £24,500 to her chosen charities, the proceeds from events she organised during her year as Chairperson.

Councillor Mulgrew said, “I am delighted to be in a position to present cheques for an amount that will be of great benefit to my charities. Supporting health and wellbeing was in the forefront of my mind when choosing charities to support during my term of office. While the charities may have been less well known, they are certainly on the front line in terms of dealing with individuals and families that find themselves in the most difficult of situations.”

“The initial target I set myself was £20,000 which was a figure never reached before. I was therefore gratified when that amount was exceeded after two events - the Christmas Concert and International Women’s Day lunch, which celebrated 100 years since women first received the right to vote.

“The events that were held this year were very special, and I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Council for the huge amount of support that they gave me during the year. As a way of showing my appreciation to my Vice Chair, Councillor Willie Clarke for all his support, I asked him to nominate a charity of his choice. From this we worked together to organise Fun in the Forest Family Fun Day in Castlewellan Forest Park in aid of MYMY, a mental health support charity based in Newcastle.”

Councillor Mulgrew continued, “All the events showcased the fantastic local facilities and also celebrated the phenomenal talent within the district. The nature of these events allowed several thousand residents the opportunity to attend and participate, while learning about the amazing work that the charities carry out.

“During this year in office I have been overwhelmed by the support given to communities by the voluntary sector. This sector is often overlooked, but both statutory agencies and the wider public sector rely heavily on these groups to deliver much needed services.”

In conclusion, Councillor Mulgrew said, “I wish to place on record my sincere thanks to the local business community which supported and sponsored my events, in particular main sponsors First Derivatives; O’Hare and McGovern, and ReGen Waste Management.”