Age Action is urging the public to turn their unwanted festive gifts into funds to help some of Ireland’s most needy older people. “Instead of leaving them in a drawer, donate them to Age Action and let us sell them in our charity shops,” Age Action’s Head of Business Development Daragh Matthews said. “This will provide us with much needed funding to continue and expand our work improving the quality of life of older people across Ireland.”
Age Action’s five charity shops provide essential funding for our work to help older people who wish to remain living in their own homes, providing them with a basic DIY and home visitation service, specially designed computer training courses and information about their rights and entitlements, and campaigning to make Ireland the best place in the world to grow old.
“Finding the funding to continue and expand these services is one of the biggest challenges for us in 2009 faced with the economic downturn, and our charity shops are a vital source of revenue,” Mr Matthews said. “For every euro we receive in state support we have to bring in €8 from our fundraising activities.”
Unwanted gifts can be dropped in at the shops in Castlebar or Upper Abbeygate Street, Galway.
However, there are some types of gift which the shops cannot accept. Due to safety regulations, Age Action can only take electrical goods if they are new and the packaging has not been opened. Likewise, only toys which have the CE mark can be accepted. Food, perishable items, alcohol or large items of furniture can also not be accepted.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone who has donated goods or purchased items in our shops during 2008,” Mr Matthews concluded.
