NUI Galway’s Rover Society collected over 900 sleeping bags at Electric Picnic in Stradbally to donate to homeless services around Ireland.
Based off a successful scheme run by the Society last year which saw 1,200 sleeping bags being donated to the homeless service COPE Galway, the society hoped to collect a similar amount of bags this year.
Hannah Jansen, Auditor of the Rover Society at NUI Galway, said: “One of the most challenging aspects of this project is the logistics of transporting so many sleeping bags across Ireland. This year, we received sponsorship from Windsor Motor Group Galway and RescuU who provided us with a transit van and box trailer respectively. We also received support from the boutique camping company, Pink Moon, who have kindly offered us sleeping bags from the festival for two consecutive years. Without the support of these local businesses, this project would never have been possible.”
This year the sleeping bags were donated to Darkness into Light in Dublin, and NOVA, a Limerick-based charity that provides emergency accommodation to families, children and single adults who are homeless. The remaining bags were donated to local scout and youth groups across Galway City.
Riona Hughes, NUI Galway’s Societies Officer, said: “This good work by the Rovers Society exemplifies all that is positive and socially aware about the students in NUI Galway. A big congratulations is due to Rover Society for this large undertaking and to all of the society members who in the last 12 years have raised over €2 million for charity and who have volunteered and worked with communities throughout the world.”
The NUI Galway Rover Society is the Scout society at the University who aim to promote the outdoors but is also working towards a better community outreach.
