Clonakilty Gaelscoil principal Carmel Nic Airt, who spent a month on the Greek island of Leros in March, plans to return there this week for another month.
CLONAKILTY Gaelscoil principal Carmel Nic Airt, who spent a month on the Greek island of Leros in March, plans to return there this week for another month.
This time the national school teacher, who is currently on leave, will be arriving with a 40ft truck – thanks to hauliers Caulfield –packed with items donated by West Cork people, and others.
After her recent return and subsequent appearances on a number of radio shows, as well as RTÉ TV, Carmel has been making appeals for a truck and driver to accompany her.
She has also been collecting various items to bring back to the refugees.
After her various media appearances, Caulfield Transport made contact and are donating the truck and driver to deliver the goods. Thanks to the Clonakilty Agricultural Show Society, the Industrial Hall on the bypass road in Clonakilty has been made available this week as a convenient drop-off and sorting point.
According to Carmel, the items needed most are baby buggies; baby slings/carriers; wheelchairs; tents (with pegs, ground sheets etc); sleeping bags (clean and with working zips); Moses baskets (for newborns); baby blankets and sheets and towels.
Heavy blankets (no duvets) are also needed, along with all items of children’s clothing. Children’s shoes, taped together in pairs with masking tape, (size clearly written with marker on the tape) and a selection of ladies and gents clothing. Also badly needed are disposable nappies, baby wipes; baby bottles; soothers/pacifiers; baby milk formula; baby food, dried or in jars; flasks; bibs; sleeping suits; all-in-one outdoor suits; baby shampoo; Oralyte or any rehydration sachets; chubby crayons (no markers or pencil crayons); copy books; pencils; colouring books; plasticine; coloured paper; wallpaper (ends of rolls for drawing on).
They would also like to get large cardboard storage boxes and masking/duct tape for packing items into.
All items can be dropped to Clonakilty Industrial Hall this week and for any queries please email: [email protected].
Meanwhile a fundraising dance will be held on Friday April 22nd at The Clonakilty Hotel with the legendary Starlight Wranglers. They will be joined by special guests.
See also the ‘Island to Island’ and ‘Carmel Nic Airt Island to Island’ pages on Facebook.
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