SLEEP OUTDOORS FOR A GOOD CAUSE

LOCAL members of a homelessness awareness group in Tralee, who are organising an outdoor community sleep out in three weeks’ time, are urging as many people as possible to come to the events registration night in the Ashe Hotel on Friday, August 26 from 6.30pm - 8.30pm, to show their support.

Marion Coffey, Julie Fitzpatrick, Charlene Tidings and Marilyn O’ Shea are all founders and organisers of the ‘Under the Elements’ campaign, a group that they set up earlier this year to help to raise awareness of the plight of homelessness in Kerry and the services that work tirelessly to prevent it.

As part of their campaign, they are organising a sleep out in Pearse Park in Tralee on the night of September 10, which will see members of public spend a night sleeping rough in the outdoors, with security set to be provided on the night to ensure safety.

All funds from the night will then go towards renovating a number of houses and apartments throughout Kerry, for future use in housing and helping disabled service users; any extra money raised on the night will then go towards securing a wheelchair accessible car.

“We want to encourage as many people as possible to come out and support us, especially teenagers and young people; it’s important we show them that there are so many more causes of homelessness than they think, we want to take the stigma away from it,” said Marion Coffey.

“Even if you don’t want to do the sleep out, come down and support us with a donation; everything, no matter how small, helps in some way,” added Marilyn, who works as a project manager in Tralee’s Arlington Lodge shelter.

Registration for the event is this coming Friday August 26 in the Ashe Hotel with tickets €10 for an adult and €5 for a child.

Marion Coffey, Julie Fitzpatrick, Charlene Tidings and Marilyn O’Shea