Crafters for County Longford Hospice Homecare host very successful Christmas sale

Crafters for County Longford Hospice Homecare held their annual fundraising Christmas sale in the lobby of Dunnes Stores on Friday, November 21, where they were selling tickets to win one of the hampers that contained handmade goods.

Sponsored by Dunnes, this Christmas stand was in aid of County Longford Hospice Homecare, so that those in need of care can stay in their own homes instead of a hospital, if they want to.

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Helping to organise the event, Úna Devine, came to chat about Crafters for County Longford Hospice Homecare. She explained how people can follow and join the group’s Facebook page if they want to get involved or see what the group does for charity.

“Overall, we’d have fifteen to twenty people. Some would be making things. Others would just be supporting. Others are brilliant at selling,” she explained about the various roles.

Úna continued, “All of us have different roles, and some multitask. We have a core crew, but we’re always open to people coming in if they can crochet, knit, make things with paper, cross-stitch; any kind of handmade craft. It’s mainly a core crew since the beginning. They were formed in 2022, and I found them in SuperValu and I didn’t know what they were doing.”

The efforts behind this Christmastime event have been showing the generosity of Longford town. Shoppers who came to Dunnes stopped to buy a ticket for the chance of winning a hamper, but also to donate for the good cause.

As Úna said, there may be a time when any family may need the help of the hospice, and that helping means that more people can receive assistance and comfort.

Not only is making the crafts for the stand good for the charitable cause, but as a personal journey, Úna has described it as therapeutic. Even when watching a favourite television show, doing handcrafts means that you are staying busy while making something beautiful.

“What excited me about Crafters for County Longford Hospice Homecare is because I’m a compulsive crocheter, maker, writer in terms of creativity. But I found it hard to find an outlet. I’d boxes of stuff, giving them away as presents. I wanted to use them to raise money. When I saw the hospice stall in Supervalu, it was a match made in Heaven. My own history with my father–it married absolutely everything.”

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With Christmas being a time of giving and generosity, Úna had a final comment to make to everyone:

“I just want to say thanks so much to everybody who has supported us. To think of us if they win a prize, all the work that went into it. One day, their family may benefit from hospice. Last to say, have an absolutely wonderful Christmas. It’s a special time of the year, and hopefully we’re helping somebody.”