Donate a Coat project to help the homeless in Limerick

A PROJECT to help homeless people battling the cold on the streets has been established in Limerick.

The brainchild of local artist Audrey Ryan, Donate A Coat will provide warm outerwear to homeless people in the city.

Speaking about the project, Audrey said: “Nobody should have to go without a warm coat. I see young people in town begging, and they’re freezing. No one should have to go through that. Everyone should be warm.”

The project is situated situated outside Chez Le Fab on Patrick Street where a rail with coats will be left.

Members of the local community have been asked to donate any old or unused coats and hang them on the rail. The coats are then available to anyone who is feeling the cold.

The project arrives against the backdrop of a rise in homelessness in Limerick.

In November of 2016 the city was shocked by the death Louise 'BuBu' Casey, a young homeless woman who passed away whilst seeking shelter from the weather in the basement of a derelict building.

With temperatures set to drop again in the coming days, Audrey is hoping the donate a coat project will go some way to helping those most at risk.

People are being asked to keep the area tidy, while the project is ongoing and Audrey is also hoping that the local community will keep an eye on the rail and the coats on it.

#DonateACoat 24/7 #Appeal#Limerick
Collect/DropOff#ChezLeFab #ArthursQuayPark#RandomActsOfKindness#PayItForward#ShowYouCare #Ireland pic.twitter.com/wJ1BJCNNo7

— Chez Le Fab (@Chez_Le_Fab) January 30, 2017

@Chez_Le_Fab Briilliant idea with 'take a coat, leave a coat'. Keeping Limerick warm ..... and kind! #payitforward

— Maria O'Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) January 31, 2017

Nice job @Chez_Le_Fab, nice job https://t.co/E2YFKZeswh

— Social MediaLimerick (@SMLimerick) January 31, 2017

Lovely gesture by the guys Chez La Fab cafe in #limerick #kindness @joe_ie pic.twitter.com/9TWWF03pDe

— Limerick City (@limerickcitybiz) January 30, 2017