Naas fashion show raises €30k for good cause
Patricia Mulvihill, Georgia Scott and Sarah-Jane Naughton enjoying the Hope fashion show in Lawlor's Hotel, Naas Photos: Jimmy Fullam
An absolutely fabulous €30,000 was raised for the Hope Foundation at its annual ladies lunch and fashion show in Lawlor’s Hotel in Naas recently. The charity welcomed 190 guests to its fundraising event and was staggered by the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of everyone who attended and contributed.
The Hope Foundation is an Irish charity supporting overseas development and tackling humanitarian issues in Kolkata in India. Hope was established in Ireland by Maureen Forrest in 1999 to provide pathways out of poverty for the most vulnerable street children, their families and communities in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta). The charity says the sum raised will have “an incredible and vital impact on the lives of the most vulnerable children and communities in Kolkata”.
According to Sheila Zebedee, Hope’s head of fundraising and corporate engagement in Leinster: “Hope is incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, donated and helped to make this event such a memorable one. Your support means the world to us, and to the street-connected and slum-dwelling communities in Kolkata, who will directly benefit from the funds raised. This event would not have been possible without the generosity of our guests, sponsors, donors and volunteers.
“Special thanks to our sponsors, to Diamonds & Pearls Boutique, to Catwalk Model Agency, to the staff and management of Lawlor’s Hotel, to the pop-up shops, to those who donated raffle and auction prizes, to our entertainers Frankly My Dear and The Pigeonhouse Trio, to our Hope volunteers, to our photographer and AV provider, and to our auctioneer Tadgh Dooley – all of whom donated their time and talent to make this such a successful event.”
Hope provides support to 58 projects across a range of sectors, including in education, healthcare, child protection and vocational training. With offices in Cork, Dublin, the UK, the USA and India, Hope also works with local Indian non-governmental organisations to implement support programmes for the most vulnerable street children and slum-dwelling communities in Kolkata. For more information see www.hopefoundation.ie.
