Diocesan News21 Oct 15

Focus Ireland Sleep Out at Christ Church Raises €350,000 for Homelessness Charity

Eighty business leaders slept out in the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral on Friday night last for the fourth Focus Ireland Shine a Light Night. This was the first time the event had taken place in the cathedral grounds (having been held in the Iveagh Gardens last year) and the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne joined the sleep out for the second year.

Dean Dermot Dunne prepares his sleeping place for the night in the grounds of the cathedral.

This year’s Shine a Light Night, which aims to both raise funds and awareness of homelessness, brought in €350,000 to help the charity tackle the spiralling homelessness crisis. The event has raised €1 million over the last four years. 

In an introduction session in the cathedral’s music room Focus Ireland CEO, Ashley Balbirnie, there was an ever–growing need of their services. Mr Balbirnie noted that three years ago there were 150 homeless families. Last week there were 730 homeless families. There were 1,500 homeless children and that number was rising, he said. Last month alone, 80 families became homeless. “You’re coming here at a great time and a terrible time. We really appreciate your help both financially and spiritually,” he commented.

Chairperson of Focus Ireland’s fundraising committee, Ronan Harris, said that the charity takes a family out of homelessness every two days but two families present every day.

“The fact that your have all come out tonight is a huge statement. You are willing to give your bodies and your minds to say that this is not acceptable,” he stated. He said that 90 percent of people presenting to Focus had never been homeless before.

“They are ordinary people like me who fell on hard times and who haven’t been able to cling on,” he explained.

After their briefing the participants were sent out into the grounds to pick up their plastic sheeting and cardboard and grab a spot to sleep for the night. Later they attended talks on the services provided by Focus Ireland and took part in bunker sessions in which they put their brains to work on the issue of homelessness.