Community '˜Halo' shines for Muff park

Committee members of Muff Community Development, R to L, Mandy Rudden, Willie Doherty, Bernard Breslin, Paul Mc Clintock and Bridget Mc Callion.
displaying a cheque for Â¬5,915, the proceeds of Resale Therapy, a charity shop, operated by staff and volunteers of Halo Hairdressing. The committee wish to thank those who donated goods, volunteers who staffed the shop, customers who supported these ventures and Colm Mc Kenna who provided the premises. The shop raised a total of Â¬7,322 for Muff Community Park. — Committee members of Muff Community Development, R to L, Mandy Rudden, Willie Doherty, Bernard Breslin, Paul Mc Clintock and Bridget Mc Callion. displaying a cheque for Â¬5,915, the proceeds of Resale Therapy, a charity shop, operated by staff and volunteers of Halo Hairdressing. The committee wish to thank those who donated goods, volunteers who staffed the shop, customers who supported these ventures and Colm Mc Kenna who provided the premises. The shop raised a total of Â¬7,322 for Muff Community Park.

Communities in rural Ireland are built and sustained on volunteerism and the generosity of local people and Muff Community Park is a case in point.

The park is being developed by Muff Community Development and has been generously supported by the efforts of local volunteers and business.

Three phases of this of the project have been completed at a cost of €430,000, of which the local community has contributed €140,000, through donations, sponsorship and organising fundraising events.

One notable contribution has been that of the staff and volunteers of Halo Hairdressing, Muff who succeeded in raising a total of €8,889.87 through the operation of ‘Resale Therapy’, a charity shop in the village, over the Summer months of 2014 and 2015.

These efforts have been instrumental in clearing the shortfall of €47,000 on the project.

The Management Committee told the ‘Journal’ they wish to thank all who in any way contributed to this success. The committee also acknowledges the valuable support of the National Lottery, Sports Capital Fund, Inishowen Development Partnership, which funded the capital works.

Donegal County Council has also supported the provision of toilet facilities and ground-works. The next phase of the project will include surfacing of the access road and car park, and the provision of perimeter security fencing at cost of €56,500.

A grant of €20,000 has been secured from the Sports Capital Fund towards security fencing, which will further enhance the facility as a stand-alone venue and extend the range of fundraising events which can be hosted there.

Meanwhile the fundraising campaign goes on, with a calendar of events being put in place for 2016.

Events confirmed so far include the annual Spring 5k on Friday 22nd April, The Birthday Bash Fun-day on Sunday 10th July and the annual Muff Vintage Show, Charity Fundraiser on Sunday 11th September. Income from this event is shared with another local charity.

In 2016 the proceeds raised will be shared, ‘50/50’, with the Alzheimer’s Unit at Carndonagh Community Hospital, Support from the community for the project is also continuing to come in with recent donations from the Community Park Back to Back competition and Knowhead Presbyterian Church and the Shared Christmas Shared Ribbon Tree Fund.