Local groups had €200,000 boost from companies

TOP Irish companies contributed over €200,000 to Wexford charities and community groups last year.

Twenty companies contributed over €200,500 and 1,600 volunteer hours to support community groups and organisations in Wexford in addressing key social issues and causes in 2015.

In Wexford 125 community partnerships were established last year.

Local organisations helped in Wexford include Duncannon Development Association, the Rapunzel Foundation, Parents Support for Wexford Children’s Diabetic Clinic, Cushinstown National School, the Sunshine Club, Young at Heart Kilmore, the 6th Tuskar Sea Scouts, Wexford Gymnasium Club, Crossabeg/Ballymurn Club, Hope Centre, Enniscorthy, Raheen Community Development Association, Harrow Cyclists, South East Cancer Trust, Gorey Pipe Band and St Mary’s School, Ballygarrett.

In total 20 companies helped out local Wexford organisations and those who made an impact were: A&L Goodbody, Bank of Ireland Group, Boots Retail Ireland Ltd., BT, Dawn Meats Group, eir, EirGrid Group, ESB Group, FBD, Gas Networks Ireland, Heineken Ireland, IBM Ireland Ltd., Marks and Spencer, MSD, Musgrave Group, SSE Airtricity, Tesco Ireland, Top Oil and Zurich Insurance plc.

The €200,000 contribution made by these companies is made up of cash donations of €113,383, employee fundraising of €51,234 and in kind donations of €35,980.

This information is being captured by Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), on an online interactive map entitled the ‘Business Impact Map’ which gives a county by county breakdown of how companies and their employees supported their local community groups and charities during 2015

The map which can be viewed online at www. bitc.ie captures statistics from 51 of Ireland’s largest companies that are members of Business in the Community Ireland, Ireland’s leading organisation on corporate responsibility and only network for responsible business practices.

National statistics show that over €11.3 million was given in cash donations to various organisations while €10.5 million was contributed through in-kind donations and almost €5.3 million was raised through employee fundraising. Employees also volunteered more than 213,000 hours to local groups and projects during the year.