Katie praised for helping charity

Katie praised for helping charity

18 December 2013

DOWNPATRICK schoolgirl Katie Maguire has turned fundraiser with help from her family and friends to raise £1,100 for a local charity. Fifteen year-old Katie is a pupil at St. Colmcille’s High School, Crossgar, and she decided to raise money for the Eating Disorders Association of Northern Ireland, which is close to the hearts of her family.

Through contacts the family got a Champions League football signed by the players from Celtic Football Club, which Katie decided to raffle to raise money for the charity.

Founded by Jacqui King and Ann McCann, the Eating Disorder Association (NI) is run by volunteers who have experienced an eating disorder themselves, or helped a loved one through a disorder.

The volunteers listen to the sufferer, or the carer, and offer advice, but the charity also depends on donations and funds.

Ballots were sold in the family’s local area and at St. Colmcille’s, before Killough’s Jack Holland won the prize when the ballot was picked at the charity’s office in Belfast recently.

Katie’s father, Paul said: “Ann and Jacqui were overwhelmed at what Katie had done and the amount of money she raised, stating that they are one of those small based organisations that is often overlooked when it comes to donations.

“Eating disorders is happening to a lot of our young people under pressure to look a certain way and be a certain size but help is available,” he said.

For further information on Eating Disorders Association Northern Ireland visit www.eatingdisordersni.co.uk