On Friday the second of September Friends in Ireland continued in its role as the Football Association of Ireland’s chosen charity. Thirty enthusiastic volunteers met in the build up to the match. After a quick briefing and a bite to eat we headed down to the stadium with our buckets in hand and all sporting matching Friends in Ireland T-Shirts. The fans gave generously and on the night the volunteers managed to shake their buckets to the tune of €830. This money is ear-marked for our children’s nutrition programme in the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces. It will help to provide for some of our 650 orphaned or vulnerable children that are in our care.
It was fitting that such an enthusiastic showing by our volunteers and the general public was matched by the Friends in Ireland ambassador Sean St. Ledger on the pitch. He gave a man of the match performance in the 0-0 draw with Slovakia that keeps us in the running for European Championship qualification. Once again as always Friends in Ireland would like to thank the FAI, the officials at the Aviva stadium, all of the enthusiastic volunteers, the helpful staff at the Sandymount hotel and all those who gave so generously on the night. |
