Killyleagh shows meaning of Christmas

Killyleagh shows meaning of Christmas

23 December 2015

A GROUP of volunteers from Killyleagh have travelled to the Utility Street Men’s Hostel in Belfast to make a generous donation.

The gesture, led by Dawn Murray, Killyleagh Football Club and the local Spar, was in response to an article in last week’s Recorder about the homeless shelter.

The hostel in south Belfast provides emergency accommodation for homeless men across Northern Ireland and has a particular capacity for catering for those with disabilities.

Hostel manager Edmund McCullough, from Drumaness, spoke about his passion for social justice, the devastating physical and psychological impact of rough sleeping, and the need for a better strategy to encourage people off the streets.

Dawn, the vice-chair of Killyleagh YC, said Edmund’s call to take the time to talk to homeless people and provide practical help, instead of throwing money at them, touched her.

Already organising a homeless appeal for Christmas, Dawn decided to include Utility Street and handed over sleeping bags, clothes, toiletries and food donated by local people. They also plan to donate to a women’s shelter in west Belfast.

“I was going to help the homeless instead of writing Christmas cards,” said Dawn. “I put this on Facebook and it escalated out of control.

“The Spar in Killyleagh let us use them as a -off point for people to donate and on Friday 22 of us went down to Belfast.”

The group spent time with people on the streets of Belfast giving out the donations. It proved a worthwhile experience, but some people badly in need of help didn’t want any assistance and that was “distressing”, said Dawn. The remainder of the items were then taken to Utility Street.

“With my job I am seeing a lot more homeless people coming in,” said Dawn. “I work in a doctor’s surgery beside the city hospital and it is a grave problem.

“The Utility Street Men’s Hostel is so close to where I work but I did not even know that it existed. 

“I phoned Edmund and he was so welcoming and showed me around the hostel and I was really, really impressed with the work they do.”

Dawn extended thanks to everyone who made donations through her and the Killyleagh Spar-Homeless Appeal.

She said she also wanted to stress the work done by people like Edmund on a long-term basis.

Edmund, who will be spending Christmas Day and Boxing Day at the hostel with residents, said he was delighted with the Killyleagh group’s donation.

“They arrived down with all sorts of coats, clothes, blankets, tea, coffee and biscuits,” he said. “|t was quite a substantial amount. 

“They had read the article and wanted to do something practical. They met the staff and met the residents and that means a lot to me.

“I was really overwhelmed by their reaction.”