Conor continues to produce the goods with imaginative campaigns

YET again this Christmas Blackrock’s Conor Hughes mounted his fundraising scheme on the beach in front of his business premises.

For his latest fundraiser Conor placed a 25 ft. model of Gulliver which proved to be a big attraction, especially with children.

Over the years you have to marvel at Conor’s ingenuity in coming up with a novel new ideas every year in an effort to drum up interest in his appeal.

Over the years he has come up with some whacky ideas, and in the initial years of the campaign Conor himself was willing to make personal sacrifices by subjecting himself to the extremities of the winter weather on a beach.

All of this was done in the name of the charity he founded, Crosscause Charity which supports a number of projects in Ghana and Romania that are working with orphans.

Along the way there is little doubt that Conor has collected many opinions on his charity work and the extent to which he is not afraid to front the work he is undertaking.

Most of the commentary would be favourable, but no doubt he has got the odd comment not just about the sometimes bizarre schemes he dreams up, but also as to why he is searching out worthy projects abroad when there are countless charitable organisations at home in need of funds.

Conor knows from the orphanages in Ghana and Romania that he visited that the need there is greater than at home for they lack even the most basic of items.

For all our faults in this country, we have considerably improved the welfare of orphaned children or those with special needs.

It is therefore right that we should cherish having people like Conor Hughes in our midst who is prepared to go to great lengths to raise badly needed funds for children who are a lot less fortunate than those in our midst.

It has been said before, but needs repeating, that we are fortunate in this, and indeed in every other community in Ireland, that we have people who care deeply about others but who are prepared not just to care, but to do some tangible to help.

Who cares that Conor’s ideas are novel, even whacky, they provide a focus and are a tradition in Blackrock every Christmas.

Long may it continue, and long may Conor continue his excellent work.