My sister and I are raising money so the homeless can keep warm

My sister and I are raising money so the homeless can keep warm

7 December 2016

TECONNAUGHT brother and sister Ethan and Rioghnach Sloan are taking part in a midnight walk in the fields around their home this weekend to raise money for the homeless.

To date, the duo have raised £600 and are delighted with the support they have received from family, friends and classmates and teachers at their school, St Patrick’s Primary in Ballynahinch.

Ethan (10) is no stranger to fundraising and in the past raised £1,500 for the Oscar Knox Appeal and £1,300 for the Northern Ireland Hospice. Now he has teamed with his five year-old sister to help keep homeless people warm this Christmas.

The pair initially set themselves a target of £200, but have more than trebled that figure to date and with money still coming in, they hope they will be able to help many who, for a variety of reasons, find themselves without a roof over their head.

The brother and sister will be donning their wellie boots this Saturday night as the clock approaches midnight and with torches in hand, will walk around the fields near their home, accompanied by mum and dad, Déarbhla and Aidan. Their sponsored walk will take them around six fields which stretch over a half mile.

“We know it’s cold this winter and while my family and many others are able to sit in our homes with a warm fire, it is not a luxury for those who are sleeping rough,” said Ethan. “There are people living on the streets and sleeping in shop doorways. My sister and I are raising money to buy sleeping bags, warm hats and coats so they can keep warm.”

The children have raised almost £500 via online donations and in addition to cash, people are also donating warm clothing which they plan to hand over early next week for distribution. Ethan and Rioghnach are buying 15 special sleeping bags for winter use and the remainder of the cash will be used to buy hats, warm jumpers and coats.

“My classmates are aware of what I am doing and my teacher has kindly given me some money to help with the fundraising. Rioghnach and I hope to raise as much as we can and would encourage others to think about those who are not well off at this time of year and have no home.”

Ethan added: “It is important to help others, not just at Christmas, but all year round. The need of those who have no home is the same all-year round.”

Rioghnach said she is glad to be able to help others, with her mum confirming that the five year-old literally stopped in her tracks recently while the family was out shopping in Belfast when they came across someone sheltering from the weather in a shop doorway.

“We were in Royal Avenue when Rioghnach saw a man in the shop doorway and immediately said she wanted to buy a house for him. We passed three people that day, one of whom was a teenage girl in a sleeping bag,” said Déarbhla.

The children’s mum has been liaising with the Welcome organisation which provides help and support for vulnerable people and which will help distribute the sleeping bags and clothing Ethan and Rioghnach will be donating.

The Teconnaught family is conscious of the need to help others. Two years ago, the family made turkey sandwiches and the children helped bake shortbread which was donated to a group in Holywood which helps people in homeless shelters and those living in the streets. Ethan and Rioghnach also handed over their selection boxes so the sweets could be donated.

Déarbhla continued: “The sleeping bags and clothes Ethan and Rioghnach will be able to buy will be handed over by them so they will see the end result of their fundraising. We would like to thank.” staff at the Argos store in Downpatrick who provided the children with a discount voucher.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to Ethan and Rioghnach’s fundraising effort can do so at the the following link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/EthanRioghnachSleepingBags