How many of us have items lying around our homes that are unused, unwanted and unloved?
Article by Elaine Duggan,Evening Echo
Well, now is your chance to clear your home of such objects and donate them to a massive charity sale in aid of St Vincent de Paul. The Spring Clean for Charity Sale, organised by Norma Smurfit, which was a huge hit in Dublin over the past two years, raising €90,000 annually for worthy causes is coming to Cork.
The event in the capital attracted a whopping 3,000 people who browsed through around 200 stalls. Norma Smurfit, who is the driving force behind numerous charities in Ireland, said she was delighted to be bringing the event to Cork and said the response they have received from Cork already has been amazing, but not surprising. Celebrity chef Rachel Allen has thrown her weight behind the initiative which aims to raise €50, 000 for the Society of St Vincent de Paul. She is to donate crockery from Ballymaloe to the ‘Spring Clean for Charity’ event. Bill Cullen, Jackie Lavin, Lorraine Keane, Cara O’Sullivan and others have pledged to support the event.
Manager of Brown Thomas in Cork, Caroline Counihan, is also on board and her team of managers will take time out to man the stalls at the event, along with other members of the Network Cork business group.
Norma said; “St Vincent de Paul, now more than ever, needs our support and Spring Clean for Charity is a fun way with friends, family or colleagues to raise funds that will go directly to people in need in Cork. It is also a great excuse to have a good clear-out of all those items cluttering up people’s homes and businesses.”
Organisers are seeking people to host stalls and are also asking the public to look around their homes, offices, attics and garages, and donate items which could be sold to raise vital funds for the charity. All sorts of bric-a-brac, trinkets and fashion will be on sale on the day, from 11am to 5pm. Taking a stall is free, but entry to the event will be €5.
Brendan Dempsey, Regional President of St Vincent de Paul, added: “This is such a great opportunity to raise much-needed funds for people in need in Cork. “The past number of years have put enormous strain on our resources but we are always humbled by the goodness of people when times are tough”.
“The event in September is going to help us so much as we prepare for a very challenging Christmas season and we would ask everyone to support in some way, either by taking a stand, perhaps donating unwanted bric-a-brac, or volunteering on the day.”
All money from the Leeside event goes to St Vincent de Paul Cork branch. The event runs at Cork City Hall on September 24 from 11am to 5pm, and there are lots of ways to get involved.
To book a stall, visit the website www.springcleanforcharity.ie and register your interest. Drop-off points are also available.
For more details, email help@springcleanforcharity.ie or call 086-8221751.