Diocesan News17 Dec 13

Garvagh Parish & GAA Club work to save lives in Nigeria

A local Church of Ireland parish in Co Londonderry, assisted by donations from a local GAA club, have shown that this is truly the season of peace and goodwill. On Sunday 1st December Garvagh Parish presented a cheque for over £3,000 to Bishop Ken Good, on behalf of the Nets Work Project.

At the beginning of this year the diocese of Derry and Raphoe set themselves a target of raising £100,000. This will be used to buy 25,000 mosquito nets, to be distributed by a diocese in Nigeria.

The presentation took place at a special Nets for Nigeria Sunday in the parish, with Bishop Good. Rev Paul Whittaker, Rector of Garvagh, said “The project has been a great focus for our parish in 2013. Everybody, including members of parish organizations such as our Sunday School, Praise Group, Choir, Bowling Club and Mothers Union caught the vision of buying mosquito nets”.

The parish has built up good relationships with Glenullin, a local GAA club. Mr Gerard O Kane, a member of the club as well as being a former chair of the Derry County Board, heard about the project. Following discussions with Rev Whittaker he asked if the Glenullin club could also donate money to the appeal. It was an offer that was warmly accepted by Garvagh Parish.

Bishop Ken Good said “I want to pay tribute to the generous spirit demonstrated by the parishioners of Garvagh as well as Glenullin GAA. They show the enormous difference that cooperation can make in their local community as well as in saving lives in Nigeria”.

The World Health Organisation estimates that there were 216 million cases of malaria in 2010 resulting in 655,000 deaths. This is equivalent to roughly 2000 deaths every day.

Mosquito nets have been shown to reduce the death rate from malaria fell by upt to 67%. A net costs around £5 / €6 but for a family who spend more than 90% of their income on food this is an expense they cannot afford.

Nets Work aims to raise funds to buy 25,000 nets in Makurdi diocese in Nigeria. It is a joint diocesan initiative with Bishops’ Appeal and Christian Aid.

Image above: Bishop Ken Good receives cheque for Nets Work from Rev Paul Whittaker, Garvagh parish organisations ie. Sunday School, Praise Group, Choir, Bowling Club and Mothers Union as well as Gerard O Kane from Glenullin GAA – 1st Dec 2013 at Garvagh Parish