Fourteen charities in Westmeath have received grants totalling over €184,076 from the People in Need Trust, from funds raised during the 2007 RTE People In Need Telethon.
The People in Need Trust announced the final tally earlier this week, with all funds raised in Westmeath distributed to charities based in the county.
The charities benefiting from funding included the South Westmeath Hospice Foundation which received €25,000 towards the cost of a new building extension; Irish Autism Action Mullingar, which was awarded €23,300 towards office equipment; and the Irish Wheelchair Associations in Mullingar and Athlone which received €25,000 and €2,400 respectively for furniture and wheelchair accessible equipment.
The 1428 Active Retirement Club, Mullingar was awarded €12,000 for the purchase of indoor games equipment, while Killucan Area Services received €19,635; Kinnegad Community Childcare €12,000; New Beginnings Counselling Athlone €5,000; Temporary Emergency Accommodation Mullingar €20,000; The Carers Association, Mullingar €3,741; The Meningitis Trust €5,000; and Women's Community Projects, Mullingar €10,000.
The autism unit in Milltownpass NS was awarded €1,000 for the provision of weekly swimming lessons.
According to David Harvey, chief executive of the People in Need Trust; “The people of Westmeath were extremely generous during the Telethon campaign and it is thanks to their efforts that we were able to help so many charities in the county. The funds distributed over the last few months have made a huge difference to people’s lives.”
Since its inception in 1988, over €42 million has been raised by People in Need through the RTÉ People in Need Telethon to support a wide variety of charitable organisations.
The Telethon has always had a special emphasis on smaller, low-profile groups who otherwise would have difficulty in raising sufficient funds for themselves.
