Musgrave MarketPlace raise over €43k for Simon Community

Musgrave MarketPlace stores across Ireland raised over €43,000 last year for their charity partner, the Simon Community.

The Simon Community provides much-needed services to over 8,300 people across the country, such as providing housing with support, specialist health services, emergency accommodation and rough sleeper outreach teams.

In 2016, all ten Musgrave MarketPlace stores participated in national fundraising initiatives, including coffee mornings, Easter egg raffles, and a Christmas Jumper Day.

Colleagues also participated in a wide range of local fundraising activity last year – staff in Dublin and Galway stores for example, took part in a ‘Sleep Out’ last July to increase public awareness of homelessness and raise much needed funds for the charity.

Galway employees also completed a sponsored Summit Challenge to climb Croagh Patrick and Musgrave MarketPlace stores in Dublin organised a number of community activities including a Family Fun Day at the Blanchardstown Central Distribution Centre.

The money raised for Simon Community in 2016 went towards the funding of vital services in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

Noel Keeley, MD of Musgrave Wholesale Partners, said: “We are incredibly proud of our work with the Simon Community in 2016, raising in excess of €43,000 for the charity, which will be used to provide supported housing to people in need across Ireland.

“Our employees and stores across the country really got behind the partnership organising their own local activities throughout the year like our Spin-A-Thon, which saw fifty-four staff clock up over 840km in support of the charity.

“We look forward to continuing our charity work this year and supporting another worthy cause by partnering with Pieta House in 2017. We have a busy calendar of fundraising activity planned for the year ahead which we hope will help the charity continue its incredible work supporting people suffering from mental health issues in Ireland.”

Niamh Randall, National Spokesperson for the Simon Communities added: “We are incredibly grateful to Musgrave MarketPlace and its employees for their significant support throughout 2016. With over 7,000 people trapped in emergency accommodation and many thousands more at risk, not knowing where they will sleep next month, next week or even tonight such support is essential to help us to continue to our vital work preventing more people from becoming homeless and supporting people who are homeless to move into homes of their own with support.”

The news came after Musgrave MarketPlace announced Pieta House would be its new charity partner of 2017, as selected by staff.

Pieta House operates eight centres across Ireland to provide support to people engaging in self-harm or who are in suicidal distress.

The cash and carry launched its charity partnership with Pieta House with its first fundraising activity on Thursday March 16 by Going Green for Paddy’s Day.

Staff wore green to Celebrate St. Patricks Day and raised over €300 on the day.