Photographer plans third collection for the homeless

Photographer plans third collection for the homeless

23 November 2016

A CHANCE meeting between a homeless man in Dublin and a local photographer back in October 2014 saw many local people donate towards helping DePaul Ireland at Christmas.

The charity helps homeless people across Ireland, north and south, and offers immediate and long-term support to people struggling to get by.

Down Recorder photographer Raphael Mason met Martin, a homeless man living on the streets of Dublin, during a trip to visit family members a couple of years ago.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Martin lying on the street, surrounded by pigeons in the middle of modern-day Dublin,” said Raphael. “I was expecting him to tell me where to go when I approached him but when we started to talk I could tell he was pretty well educated.”

He explained he tough it was to live on the streets during winter when temperatures can to well below freezing.

“I haven’t been to Dublin since February but hopefully he will still be there when I go down to DePaul before Christmas,” said Raphael.

Raphael was so touched by what he saw he started an appeal for clothing which received huge support. He repeated the appeal in 2015 and will once again be collecting for DePaul in the run-up to Christmas.

“When I launched an appeal on Facebook in 2014 I never margined the support I would get from local people. There was so much donated that I could never transport it in my car but thankfully a local businessman gave me a Ford Transit van which was packed to the roof. When we delivered it to DePaul the staff couldn’t believe their eyes and there were a few tears shed as they went though the clothes and toys which local people kindly donated,” said Raphael.

Last year we supported DePaul in Belfast for the first time and once again the amount donated was incredible,” he said. 

Those wishing to donate to Raphael’s appeal should note that he is collecting new items only for DePaul.

“Like everyone else I am pretty busy in the run-up to Christmas and I simply don’t have the time or resources to wade through bags of used clothing left at my front door,” says Raphael.

“It’s also nice to think that someone will receive something new at Christmas,” he said.

Among the items needed are thermal underwear, socks, hats, scarves, gloves, coats, hoodies, jumpers, toiletries, toothbrushes, toothpaste, boots, fleeces, sleeping bags, ruck sacks, etc.

Anyone wishing to donate towards the DePaul Homeless Appeal can leave items at the Down Recorder office in Downpatrick. It will be delivered to DePaul approximately one week before Christmas.