Oxfam Ireland Media Advisory

Oxfam Ireland Press Release
22 January 2010

Oxfam Ireland has been overwhelmed with the magnificent level of public response following the recent catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, with well over €400,000 raised so far.

The 48 Oxfam shops around the country have seen unprecedented generosity, including:

• 
  ·Oxfam Georges Street store took in €3,500 in one day
  ·Oxfam Lisburn received an anonymous cash donation of £5,000;
  ·in the Oxfam Rathmines store a single individual made a donation of €2,500.

Street collections have also seen a tremendous response – over £7,500 was raised at Sprucefield Shopping Centre, the Flagship Shopping Centre in Bangor and at the Ulster Rugby match at Ravenhill, while €5,500 was raised at shopping centres in Dublin (including €3,500 in Swords). 

Spontaneously organised fundraising activities to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake are happening throughout the country, including:

• 
  ·  Bank of Ireland is accepting donations for Oxfam’s Haiti appeal in all its branches;
  ·  Workplace collections (the employees of Mediavest in Dublin have donated €1,558);
  ·  Sheridans Cheesemongers in Dublin ran a day-long promotion giving half their takings to Haiti;
  ·  Cork College of Commerce is hosting a Cake Sale on Wednesday 27th January, with all proceeds to be donated to Haiti via the Oxfam Cork shop;
  ·  and Patrick Cassidy in Downpatrick, Co Down, is selling stock from his shoes shops in aid of Oxfam Ireland’s Haiti Appeal.

It is encouraging to see more and more aid reaching Oxfam’s team in Haiti so that they can give the humanitarian support needed by thousands of people in Haiti. Oxfam is working in numerous sites across the Haitian capital targeting tens of thousands of people with life-saving aid – clean water, safe sanitation, hygiene kits and plastic sheeting for temporary shelters.

As well as looking at their immediate needs Oxfam will be again focussing on long term development  so that people can put their lives back together for the future. This is being made possible by the tremendous support from the Irish public.

Oxfam Ireland urges the public to continue their generosity and supporting Oxfam’s work by calling 1850 30 40 55 or by visiting www.oxfamireland.org/donate or your local Oxfam Ireland shop.

For more information or interviews, please contact:

Notes to Editor

Oxfam Ireland is an independent member of Oxfam International- a group of thirteen non-governmental agencies dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustice around the world.

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