Limerick locals to raise funds for Help the Homeless Limerick and Cliona’s Foundation

Help the Homeless Limerick and Cliona’s Foundation are the two charities Limerick locals Cathal Byrne and Ben Burns have decided to support. Pictured above in 2017 are Brendan Ring, co-founder of Clionas Foundation, ambassadors Leanne Moore, Richard Lynch and Joy Neville and Terry Ring, co-founder of Clionas Foundation. Picture: ilovelimerick

Limerick locals to raise funds for Help the Homeless Limerick and Cliona’s Foundation  

By I Love Limerick Correspondent Jade Crowe   

A fundraiser has been set up by Limerick locals Cathal Byrne and Ben Burns in order to raise funds for Cliona’s Foundation and Help the Homeless Limerick after being inspired by the work of the local group combatting homelessness. Both organisations work tirelessly to improve the conditions of the lives of those in need. To raise funds for Help the Homeless Limerick and Cliona’s Foundation, Ben and Cathal are taking part in this year’s Great Limerick Virtual Run and the duo has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds. This year’s Great Limerick Virtual Run is taking place in the May Bank Holiday from May 1st – May 3rd, 2021.  

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Help the Homeless Limerick is a Facebook group with over 4,000 members. During the lockdown, the pair noticed the kindness and compassion shown by the group. They noted how the group would provide homeless locals around Limerick with essentials each night such as toiletries, clothes, and hot meals and became inspired by the group’s work. Although the number of homeless people in Limerick is constantly fluctuating, it was noted by the Department of Housing in their November 2020 report that there were 219 homeless people in Limerick alone.   

Ben and Cathal commented, “Over the lockdown, we have noticed the work of the Help the Homeless Limerick group.  After the lockdown hit last March two volunteers took to the streets to help their homeless friends, this group now consists of six volunteers who every night on Gerald Griffin Street provide the homeless of Limerick with hot meals, warm clothes and toiletries whilst also supporting local hostels.” 

The Great Limerick Run Virtual 2021 will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend this year ?‍♀️?‍♂️

Choose from marathon, half marathon, 10 mile, 10km and 5km at your leisure and in your own locality while adhering to gov guidelines and public health advice @RGreatLimRun

— Limerick.ie (@Limerick_ie) February 11, 2021

Cliona’s Foundation is a national charity with their office in Limerick that provides financial assistance directly to parents of children with life-limiting or chronic complex care needs across Ireland to help with the non-medical expenses related to caring for their child. Unfortunately, many families who find themselves in these circumstances may experience unemployment and this was the reason Ben and Cathal decided to fundraise for the charity. 

Ben and Cathal said, ” Cliona’s foundation who have their offices in Limerick directly provide parents of children with life-limiting or chronic complex care needs with financial assistance to help with anything from rent and utility bills to treating a sibling with a day out. With people facing unemployment both temporary and permanent during the lockdown this charity needs the public’s support.” 

Ben and Cathal added, “We have decided to bite the bullet and sign up for the Virtual Great Limerick Run Full Marathon on the May bank holiday. Neither of us have ever done anything like this so it should be interesting, At the same time We want to raise a bit of money for some charities close to home so we have decided to split the funds we raise between Help the Homeless Limerick and Cliona’s foundation.” 

To donate via GoFundMe go HERE