The total cash donated to date is over €700,000 (£466,666) of which €462,000 (£308,000) has been donated via the 44 Oxfam shops throughout Ireland.
“Every day we are continually bowled over with the response we are receiving from people throughout Ireland. The support we are receiving is truly staggering.” said Trevor Anderson, Oxfam Ireland Retail Manager. “I would like to thank everyone who has given money, donated their gifts for us to sell or have volunteered to help in our shops.”
“The staff and volunteers in the shops and offices are having to work extremely hard to keep up with the unprecedented response from the public who continue to come up with new varied ways of raising funds for us” said Anderson.
Due to the volume of donations of clothing and gifts coming into the shops Oxfam has had to take over a 10,000 sq feet warehouse at Belfast City Airport, kindly provided free by Prentice Estates and Soldiers from Palace Barracks will be helping to unload 20,000 bags arriving today.
Damien Rice played an impromptu gig at the Temple Bar Music Centre where everyone gave their time free raising €20,000.
H2O restaurant in Dunmurry raised £3,750 on Thursday night by donating all the restaurants takings, staffs wages and tips.
Rossmere Developments Ltd in Dublin donated €10,000 to an Oxfam shop.
Brian McKenna and friends collected £4,722 outside the Odyssey on New Years Eve.
Tric Baby in Dublin donated 1700 men’s shirts worth €34,000.
Alison Gray boutique in Dundrum donated €2,000 to the Dundrum.
Carol Baker from Clondalkin had organised a benefit night in the local CIE club and has convinced her friends to donate their Christmas presents as raffle prizes.
Bob Mullen motors have donated a van for us to use
The donations have only just starting rolling in from these and the hundreds of other amazing people who have organised events and collections in their local communities and workplaces. Oxfam are so thankful to these wonderful people who are making a real contribution to the people who survived the Tsunami.For further information or to arrange interviews contact Oxfam Ireland Press Officer Paul Dunphy on 01 6040706
Oxfam Ireland's Asia Earthquake Floods appeal : you can donate online here or lo call 1890 60 60 65 (ROI) & 0845 303 0337 (NI) or visit any Oxfam Ireland Shop.