Charity
PHOTOS & VIDEO – EURO 2020 National Football Exhibition donates schoolbags to Limerick’s Gateway to Education
Pictured at the UL Sports Arena for the donation of 50 FAI Backpacks to Limerick’s Gateway to Education by the EURO 2020 Football Exhibition are Suzanne Roche, CEO and Founder of Limerick’s Gateway to Education, Colm Hand, coordinator of the National Football Exhibition (back row), with the social media competition winners Daniel Wilkinson, age 10 and Nathan McKevitt, age 7. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.
PHOTOS & VIDEO – EURO 2020 National Football Exhibition donates schoolbags to Limerick’s Gateway to Education
by ilovelimerick correspondent Conor Owens.
As part of their tour around the country, the newly opened EURO 2020 National Football Exhibition donated yesterday 50 FAI Backpacks, UEFA Sticker Books and stationary to the Limerick Gateway to Education Charity shop on Wickham Street.
The EURO 2020 National Football Exhibition is open to the public at the Sports Arena in University of Limerick until June 30 and provides a fantastic insight into the UEFA European Championships as Ireland prepares to host four EURO 2020 games next June.
After originally debuting in Dublin ahead of the EURO 2020 Qualifying Draw, the Exhibition has been on the road visiting different counties, including Sligo, Cork and Limerick. The Exhibition will continue to travel to Waterford, Donegal, Galway, and Dundalk before returning to Dublin again.
While in Limerick, the Exhibition is teaming up with the Gateway to Education programme, whose mission is to facilitate and encourage full participation in education. Having already helped over 9,000 local families since 2012, the charity provides school essentials and other services including a Homework Club and charity shop.
Pictured at the UL Sports Arena for the donation of 50 FAI Backpacks to Limerick’s Gateway to Education by the National Football Exhibition are Kurena Dambrauskaite, Social Media Manager for Gateway to Education, Suzanne Roche, CEO and Founder of Limerick’s Gateway to Education and Colm Hand, coordinator of the National Football Exhibition. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.
CEO and Founder of Limerick’s Gateway to Education Suzanne Roche said “We know it can be expensive to get your child through school and we try to help where we can. We really appreciate the help from the National Football Exhibition for giving us these bags, which we know the kids will love when they see them!”
The presentation of the donation was made at the National Football Exhibition in UL, where crowds continue to flock to see all of the impressive items on display, such as a Gordon Banks jersey and programmes and pictures from Limerick’s famous European battle against Real Madrid. Items were donated from local legends Al Finucane and Kevin Fitzpatrick.
Gateway to Education also held a UEFA EURO 2020 competition on Facebook, with the winners Daniel Wilkinson, age 10 and Nathan McKevitt, age 7 receiving an FAI UEFA schoolbag and chance to see the Exhibition.
The journey around Ireland has allowed the Exhibition to make an impact in local communities, such as the football memories event with Sligo Rovers legends Tony Fagan and Chris Rutherford in conjunction with the Irish Alzheimer’s Society, and the mental health talk in Cork with former underage international Brian Lenihan with support from Pieta House. The Exhibition will continue to be open to the public from Thursday, June 13 until Sunday, June 30.
For more information on the National Football Exhibition, click here
For more information on the work of Limerick’s Gateway to Education, click here
For more stories featuring Limerick’s Gateway to Education, click here
Photos: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.
