Pedal power event raises €15k for Saoirse Women’s Services and St Mark’s GAA Club

A FUNDRAISER in aid of a local sports club and a domestic violence charity is on track to raise €15,000 after garnering a staggering amount of community support.

St Mark’s GAA Club and Saoirse Domestic Violence Services teamed up to joint-fundraise for both organisations with a spin-bike challenge in The Square Towncentre staged as the centrepiece for the fundraiser.

Pedal Power, which took place on February 11/12, saw participants from both groups cover 1,500km on spin bikes while raising funds through bucket-shaking, sponsorship, and a GoFundMe.

“We are delighted to be able to support such a vital service in Saoirse Domestic Violence Services,” a spokesperson for St Mark’s GAA Club told The Echo.

“The work they do for the local area is crucial and St Mark’s is delighted to have been able to assist them in continuing to provide their amazing resources to those who need them.

“Of course the funds raised will also help greatly in continuing to upgrade the facilities in our own club for our players and members.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to all who supported us over the last few weeks, whether that be from donating online or those who dropped down to us in The Square over the weekend, and those who will continue to do so over the coming weeks.

“No donation has gone unnoticed and each and every one will help to make a huge difference to both organisations.”

All monies raised through the fundraiser are set to be split half-and-half between the two organisations, with the club hoping to present a cheque to Saoirse in the coming weeks.

Funds are being raised for new equipment to support multiple teams across all age groups in St Mark’s and to help Saoirse continue to provide their outreach and refuge services.

“We are just renovating the Tallaght refuge house, it was a total six-month renovation,” Trish Cole, Manager of Saoirse’s Tallaght and Rathcoole refuges, told The Echo.

“We just need to add additional security measures to the house and the fundraiser really couldn’t have been more well-timed.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable and phenomenal work from all the lads in St Mark’s.

“We’ve done fundraisers in The Square before and never raised as much as that, it’s really a testament to them.

“Cora McCann, from Saoirse Domestic Violence Service, was up there with them and she couldn’t sing their praises enough and the event really ended up raising a lot of awareness.

“It did a lot for highlighting gender-based violence against women and we are glad they took us on.”

Saoirse’s Tallaght refuge house, while full at present, is back fully operational and now has all new fully-accessibly facilities.

While Saoirse operates a refuge house for women and children in both Tallaght and Rathcoole, the charity also offers a broad spectrum of domestic violence services.

Saoirse’s services include a 24-hour helpline, safe refuge accommodation, children’s support services, community outreach and court accompaniment.

Donations to the Pedal Power Fundraiser are still being accepted through GoFundMe up to February 20.

Visit www.gofund.me/fb7d0626 to donate.