Over 8k raised by Reliance team for Focus Ireland and HUGG Charities
October 15th saw the national “Shine a Light” campaign run buy Focus Ireland to raise funding for homelessness in Ireland. As of August 2021, the number of people certified as homeless in the Republic of Ireland is 8212. The aim of the annual event is to raise sponsorship for sleeping out that night while gaining a real insight into what homeless people must endure on a nightly basis.
The team at Reliance took the last minute decision to bring together their Cork, Dublin and Limerick facilities and stage a meaningful sleepout at its head office location in Little Island, Cork. 16 people braved the night weather and came together on the night raising a total of €6182, over twice the target!
Peter Creighton, MD of Reliance, got involved and brought along his teenage daughter. “When I came across the charity, I just knew it is something we had to do. This was our first-time taking part as a company. As a family business almost a century old, we are very focused on the team so we felt that such an amazing charity on our own doorstep was very worthwhile. We are absolutely delighted with the amount raised and thank you so much to all those who donated. It is overwhelming just how generous people have been with both their time and donations. We also gained a lot from the experience as a team, and it brought us closer together. It was a wonderful experience for me and my daughter to go through together.”
Reliance was 14th on the company leader board for funds raised which was a great achievement considering they only decided to participate a week in advance of the event! The overall amount raised by Focus Ireland was over €1.2m which will go a long way to supporting the charity’s work. Reliance has vowed to take part again next year and delighted that their contribution will make a real difference to those suffering here in Ireland.
In addition to raising funds for homelessness in Ireland, Reliance staff ran a joint fundraiser for HUGG, a charity that supports families affected by suicide. This charity was particularly supportive of a team member from Cork, Frank Hurley, who tragically lost her son in January. HUGG was her lifeline when she struggled to find solace in everyday life. The charity provides refuge by bringing families together in a group setting who have suffered the same loss. Reliance raised an additional €1200 in support of HUGG. Details of HUGG can be found on www.hugg.ie
