Local members backing the Fuchsia Appeal
LOCAL members of the Defence Forces have vowed to lend their support to the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel’s (ONE) Fuchsia Appeal which was launched last week.
The funds raised will be used by ONE to support former members of the Defence Forces who have fallen on hard times.
The appeal was officially launched last Wednesday, June 28th by the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM.
The organisation revealed it needs to raise €600,000 annually to continue running its current facilities for former military personnel, which include Veteran Support Centres in Dundalk and Limerick and residential centres in Dublin, and Athlone.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive of ONE Ollie O’Connor said: ‘ The Fuchsia Appeal is fundamental to our efforts to protect former members of the Defence Forces from homelessness and poverty.
‘It is a great tragedy but some of our former members end up homeless and are continuing victims of the present homelessness crisis. The funds raised by the appeal enables us to help former colleagues at a challenging time in their lives. Many of these people gave outstanding service to the State and to the United Nations and for one reason or another have fallen on hard times since leaving the service.’
Since 1994, over 700 former members of the Defence Forces have been provided with a place to stay and many others have been assisted in various ways.