Thousands raised for Novas at its annual sleep-out in Limerick

A CITY homelessness charity received a boost on the eve of Christmas, as thousands of euro was raised at its flagship fundraiser.

Almost 30 people slept out on one of the coldest nights of the year last weekend in aid of Novas, which runs support centres for homeless people across the region.​

It’s the fourth year in a row the event was held, and as well ​as outside Brown Thomas, camps were set up in Ennis, Co Clare and Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Locally well known faces taking part included Limerick hurler William O’Donoghue and councillor John Costelloe.

Singer Emma Langford and Patrick Sheehy from the band Walking on Cars also popped down to show their support.

Julie McKenna, who manages the Novas respite house in Newport, said it’s the charity’s most important fundraiser of the year.

She said: “It’s really important this goes well. It keeps our essential services ticking over throughout the year. It covers things that our mainstream fundraising doesn’t cover like kids’ activities, stuff we would do with families in hubs, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. I work in the treatment services, so some of the funds goes to getting people ready for treatment.”

“We had a fantastic night. We had 28 people sleep for the night, and it was a really positive response here in Limerick city. One thing I will say about the Mid-West is that people really work well together. Limerick is fabulous. All the great community spirit we have here, and we are really overwhelmed by it,” she added.

William came to the O’Connell Street sleep-out direct from the LIT Gaelic Grounds, where Limerick’s hurlers opened their season with victory over Tipperary.

So far, his friends, teammates and colleagues helped him raise almost €6,000 for the charity.

He said: “It’s a lovely thing to be involved with, and when you hear the list of things that the money goes to, anyone would like to align themselves or help in any way they can. I only do one night a year, I don’t do all the great work these people do. But I’m delighted to do this, and give a small bit of publicity to Novas.”

All the money raised from the event will go to supporting Novas’s frontline services in Limerick.

Based in O’Connell Street, Novas works with single adults, families and children who are disadvantaged and socially excluded; primarily those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

It’s also an approved housing body which provides social housing for low-income families and single adults in local communities.

It works with some of society’s most marginalised individuals, with its mantra being they believe everyone is entitled to a home.