On Monday evening, the Ambassador of Ireland to Luxembourg, Peadar Carpenter, hosted a reception at the Irish Embassy at which the Luxembourg Rose committee and the Irish Club of Luxembourg handed over cheques to charities that they have supported during the year.
The Luxembourg Rose Committee raised €5,000 from their Rose Ball tombola, which is being distributed equally between the following four charities: Autisme Luxembourg asbl; den Cent Buttek asbl; Chernobyl Children International – Cardiac mission; and Kerry Hospice Foundation – Palliative Care. Monday's presentation was to the two Luxembourg-based charities.
The Irish Club of Luxembourg, at their recent Charity Ball, raised €3,000 which is being donated equally between the following two charities: Novas, an Irish charity based in Limerick which works with single adults, families and children who are disadvantaged and socially excluded; primarily those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless; and Stemm vun der Strooss, which was founded in 1996 and supports the homeless in Luxembourg by encouraging the social and professional integration of underprivileged and discriminated individuals.
Ambassador Carpenter welcomed everyone and talked about the Irish community in Luxembourg being very involved in voluntary activities, with the International Bazaar and the Cecilia Byrne concert two examples over the past year. Therese Collins of the Luxembourg Rose Committee said that the Rose Ball is not only about fun, but the event also supports charities, both in Luxembourg and in Ireland, as well as further afield. Deirdre Joyce, President of the Irish Club of Luxembourg, talked about their annual Charity Ball which traditionally raises money for charities in Luxembourg and Ireland.
Alexandra Oxacelay of Stemm van der Strooss explained that the charits supports vulnerable members of society, including those who are addicted, those living alone and those without homes, those with mental health issues and more. Last year the served 70,000 meals in Hollerich (300 daily) and Esch-sur-Alzette (100 daily) and employ 150 people at five different locations who serve meals, sort donated clothes, work in gardens, etc. The money donated will go towards equipment for its LuxCaddy project, an initiative in which last year they recived 150 tonnes of food from Auchan.
Representatives, of the Cent Buttek charity thanked the Luxembourg Rose association and explained that it collects foodstuffs that are past their sell-by date but are still consumable and of good quality, and distribute them to social offices of municipalities; they operate out of offices in three locations.
Father Ed Horne, Chaplain at the English-speaking Catholic church in Luxembourg, said the evening's actions are testament to the generosity of the Irish community in Luxembourg.
Michael Creed, Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who was in Luxembourg the the Agriculture Council meeting earlier in the day, quoted an Irish saying "we are stronger together" as he referred to the recent Brexit decision and said that no man and no country is an island and we will continue to support our neighbours. He also commended the Irish organisations on their fund-raising endeavours.
Photos by Geoff Thompson: The cheque presentations by Therese Collins of the Luxembourg Rose Committee and Deirdre Joyce of the Irish Club of Luxembourg, with representatives of the charities, Luxembourg Rose, Sile Reidy, and Minister Creed.
