Madam, - I represent Aisling, a London-based charity which has been working with homeless Irish men and women for the past 10 years. Each year we bring up to 60 vulnerable long-term emigrants home to Ireland for a rehabilitative break.
Apart from a much-appreciated grant from the Díon fund towards the salary of the co-ordinator, we rely on donations and volunteers to carry out all the work involved in organising the trips, outreach and after-care as well as raising money. We have had an extraordinary year in 2004 thanks to hard work and commitment from some wonderful and selfless people who have donated cash and their time and skills to us over the year.
We have just returned from Mulranny, Co Mayo, where we brought 18 people for a visit as guests of the local community - in particular Dr Jerry Cowley, Patricia Timlin and the Cricklewood Homeless Committee Ireland. When we arrived by ferry in Dublin in the early hours of last Saturday morning, Niamh and Maire Collins invited all 23 of us into their home for a mammoth breakfast, which set us up for the road to the west.
The trip was all made possible by donations from individuals and organisations such as the Lighthouse Club in Dublin and a fund-raising benefit in Vicar Street the week before organised by Sean McGarry, Patsy McGarry of The Irish Times and Sean Smyth of Lúnasa. It was a great night and raised €20,000 for Aisling.
We would like to say a huge thanks to all these people as well as to our regular volunteers and to everyone who gave us a great welcome on our return to Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
ALEX McDONNELL, Aisling Return to Ireland, London NW1.