Sleepout on the streets of Limerick raises over €20,000 for Limerick charity

VOLUNTEERS helped raise more than €20,000 at a charity’s annual sleep-out to raise awareness of the plight of people facing homelessness at Christmas.

Forty people braved cold temperatures to sleep overnight outside Brown Thomas, as part of charity Novas’s annual sleep-out.

Many more turned up throughout the night to show their support, with the event being the most important for Novas’s funding through the year.

Dr Una Burns, the charity’s head of advocacy and communications said: “Our outreach programme is entirely depending on fundraising and donations to keep going on a nightly basis. While we are grateful to be funded by our partners in Government, the HSE and local authority for our emergency accommodation, we still need additional funds to make ends meet.”

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She added this is often for the services which Novas provides that people may not see.

For example, Dr Burns said, this includes supporting clients moving back into long-term accommodation, learning life skills, or returning to education or employment.

Among the supporters of the sleep-out on Saturday, December 6, was the Limerick Rose, Leah McMahon.

Founded in 2002, Novas provides services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness across Limerick and its surrounds.