St Joseph’s NS Playground Fund receives €2,500 donation from Aldi’s Longford Store

St Joseph’s national school has received a timely boost for their crowdfunding campaign to develop a playground and sensory area.

The St. Joseph’s Convent National School Playground Fund has become the latest beneficiary of Aldi's Community Grants programme, with the school receiving €2,500 worth of Aldi gift cards from the Aldi store team in County Longford.

The Longford town school is hoping to raise €100,000 in order to develop the playground and sensory facilities. So far, the fundraiser has received over €49,000 in support.

St Joseph's has over 500 pupils and 70 staff, making it the largest in the county. The school recently opened its fifth autism class in September.

Speaking to the Leader earlier this year, school principal Órla Egan said that, “unfortunately for us as an Urban Deis Band 1 school, we are finding fundraising extremely difficult.”

“Our playground is not just a place but a sanctuary of shared experiences, where friendships bloom and the echoes of laughter resonate forever. We aim that our playground becomes a hub of joy, laughter and learning,” she stated.

“We want to create a playground that grows with the community, fostering friendships and unforgettable memories for generations to come,” Órla added.

Órla is in her 10th year as Principal and she is a member of staff since 2001. “It is very busy but I honestly love my job. We’re so lucky here with an excellent, hard working, dedicated, hard working staff,” she recently told Humans of Longford.

“It’s all about the pupils though, they’re the reason why we’re here, to meet the needs of the school community,” she added.

The school has approximately 26 languages.

Commenting on the sizeable donation from Aldi, Rachel Nugent, National Sustainability Manager, Aldi Ireland said: “We are delighted to continue to support local charities and community groups across the country through the Aldi Community Grants programme and to see the impact of our donation in the local communities of County Longford.

“The Community Grants programme is one example of how Aldi is committed to investing and partnering with local communities and charities across Ireland and we look forward to continuing this engagement for years to come," Rachel added.

Those wishing to donate can do so online here - DONATION LINK.

READ NEXT - Help me save my home! 75-year-old distressed mortgage holder in vigil outside PTSB Longford