Shopping centre co-ordinating flood donations for Galway

Donations for flood victims in the west of Ireland are being accepted at a 40 foot articulated trailer parked at Navan Town Centre between 10am-12 noon and 3pm-5pm until Saturday 19th December. Anyone wishing to donate can leave donations or have them delivered to the trailer, which is located opposite the Eason store in the service yard at the centre. All donated items will be distributed to flood victims in the Galway region through the Order of Malta. Navan Town Centre manager Pat Mullaney said that the victims of the recent floods are in desperate need of new furniture and electrical appliances, including fridges, cookers and washing machines. "To really achieve something in this appeal, we are asking all residents in our county to pause for just one minute and think, really think, just what it would be like for you, if you had three feet of water running through your house. You can just imagine the trauma that would overtake you and the sheer panic that you most definitely would feel," he said. "We are asking individuals in County Meath to take leadership and gather a group of families together and collect a donation from each family, say €10 to €50 per family, depending on the economic circumstances of each family." He said a group of families could purchase a new washing machine, fridge, cooker or other such household item, including sitting room or dining room furniture, beds and other items for donation. Leaflets will be distributed from the entry points at the shopping centre throughout the week and to houses in the Navan area. "Most essentially, we need the emphasise the word 'new'. The recipients of this collection are ordinary folk, just like you and I, and deserve only the best. We have received some furnishings that are unacceptable for this project. We will not accept any second-hand electrical items or furnishings," he added. Anyone who wants to donate clothes for the appeal should take them to the St Vincent de Paul shop, Vincent's, at Brews Hill, Navan, or give donations to St Vincent De Paul (V de P Council of Ireland, at Bank of Ireland, a/c no 80005599, sort code 90:06:23) or The Red Cross at BOI Flood a/c number 10005462, sort code 90:00:17.