The Gate Cinema will run this Christmas Food Appeal for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for 2 weeks beginning on December 6th.
This will be the fourth year the Gate Cinema has staged this appeal which has been hugely sucessful in the past. The appeal will take place in the Gate Cinema on North Main Street, Douglas Cinema and the Gate in Mallow and Midleton. The centrally located cinemas are open every day and with ample parking, they are very accessible for anyone wishing to make a donation.
“We have been overwhelmed over the years with the generosity of our patrons and members of the public who droppped in and left food items in the cinema lobbies” says Margaret Greene, Manager of the Gate Cinema. “Cork people are incredible in the manner in which they respond to appeals and their generosity never ceases to amaze us. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul do fantastic work distributing this food to people in need and the whole service is provided with great dignity and we are appealing to the people of Cork for their support again this year.”
This year as a special Thank You, the Gate Cinema are giving away 2 for 1 tickets to everyone who donates non perishable food items. The tickets allow you to bring a friend for free on your next visit to any Gate Cinema.
“This is a very generous act on behalf of the Gate Cinema” said Brendan Hennessy, Membership Liaison Officer, SVP. “The Gate Cinema have provided an amazing service in offering their premises as collection points and their friendly staff personally thank the public who call with donantions.”
A SVP employee recalls last year how many people were moved to tears of graditude for the food they received. The little luxuries took some of the loneliness out of Christmas.
Another SVP volunteer was deeply moved by the compassion shown by children. “Last year I saw children from one of the local schools placing their food items under the tree in Douglas Cinema. They understood that there were people who were less fornunate than them and wanted to do something to help which reflects the true meaning of Christmas.”
The appeal will run for 2 weeks from Tuesday 6th December to Tuesday 20th December. The Gate Cinemas are open daily from 1pm to 11pm. SVP will be very grateful to get any type of non perishable food item that can be used to make up Christmas Hampers for example tea, coffee, cereals, pasta, baby food, soup, tinned goods, toiletries, sauces, biscuits etc and any Christmas luxuries such as mince pies, cakes or puddings would provide a extra Christmas treat for hard-pressed families.