Boxing academy joins campaign for homeless

Boxing academy joins campaign for homeless

2 March 2016

DOWNPATRICK Boxing Academy is doing its bit to help the homeless.

After the recent death of a fourth homeless man in Belfast, the local club has joined forces with the Friendly Aftercare Involving the Homeless (Faith) charity to help provide support for people who have no roof over their head.

The Boxing Academy has opened a collection point at its Ballydugan Road base for people wishing to donate sleeping bags, toiletries, clothing and food for the homeless.

Faith’s Briege Headly said the recently launched charity is grateful for the support of the Boxing Academy, explaining two members of the homeless organisation — Roisin and Deborah Finlay — live in Downpatrick.

“Our charity has close links with Downpatrick and we aim to provide support to homeless people within a 25 mile radius of Belfast where we are based. Homeless people are not just sleeping rough in Belfast and while the focus is rightly on the recent death of a fourth homeless person in the city, there are many others without a home,” explained Briege.

“We are delighted the Boxing Academy has agreed to allow its Ballydugan Road facility to be used as a off point. The charity has its own Facebook page and I would encourage people to view it to find out what we are about.”

Briege said the charity is acutely aware that the homeless issue is one which affects many people and not just those living in Belfast where the spotlight is currently focused on.

“We are encouraging people who can donate items to help the homeless to leave them at the Boxing Academy’s base in Downpatrick. The support of its members is encouraging and what happened recently in Belfast is spurring our organisation to do as much as it can to help. 

“The homeless issue is now firmly in the spotlight and that is a good thing to make people more aware of how many people are living without a roof over their head.”

Briege revealed the charity will be formally affiliated with the Downpatrick boxing club, explaining this will boost its plans to organise a number of fundraising events.

She added: “We are indebted to Emmanuel McMenamin and everyone at the Boxing Academy for their support. It is very much appreciated and if anyone would like to donate items to help the homeless we would encourage them to drop them off and the club’s Ballydugan Road base.”