Limerick charity in urgent plea for new base
A LIMERICK charity has appealed for someone to donate a base to help it carry out its vital work.
On a number of days a week, trained volunteers from Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention (LTSP) carry out patrols of the banks of the River Shannon in a bid to help anyone in distress.
However, the charity is set to be without a base, with its one-year lease if a premises at John Street up this week. The annual rent of €6,000 is proving beyond its means as donations have dried up during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chairman Matt Collins is urging anyone who has access to a building near the river to come forward.
"We are in a base at the moment, and it's costing us €6,000 a year. We were given a few bob to get into the base, but with Covid-19, the funding is low, so we cannot afford to keep it going this year, we are out. To be honest with you, it's not fit for purpose, it's a small square box. It's a place for us to keep our equipment," he said.
Matt added: "We are hoping to get a place where we can have meetings, do a bit of training. At this stage, just somewhere to keep our equipment. We'll have a meeting in a van if we have to. We don't mind about that. But we need storage. We need some place to keep the stuff, or we are on the street as usual."
He said the charity has even asked if the council would allow it to put a container at its grounds on the river to at least store their cycles in.
"We are going into our fourth year on the river, and we need a bit of help here. We need somebody to give us a room. Despite the pandemic, people are still helping us out, people are still very good to us. But we need to be prudent with money, and we do need to buy equipment for what we are doing. Equipment is expensive. We are looking at a piece of equipment which costs €10,000 up in Athlone. It is a game-changer. If we had it in Limerick, it would save lives," explained Matt.
LTSB is being supported by local Aontu activist Sarah Beasley, who said it's vital anyone who is being rescued on the river has a bit of privacy.
"I was only in with Mattie and he was telling me the horrific story of trying to take someone out of the river on Christmas Eve. It becomes a circus with people taking videos and pictures and people sharing it on social media because they do not have a base. While that person is waiting for the ambulance services, for the gardai, there is no privacy," she told the Limerick Leader.
"There has to be someone out there for the good of the people who could give them a cut-rent or free-rent, or perhaps people could donate on a monthly basis to help pay for the centre," Ms Beasley also suggested.
If you can help, get in touch with Matt Collins at 085-2216938.