Tipperary volunteers walk, cycle and swim for charity

​​Mary’s Meals supporters in Tipperary have been taking part in a national fundraising campaign to raise money for the charity, with local volunteers organising a number of challenges.

John Egan, chairman of the Mary’s Meals Tipperary branch, explained that the local efforts formed part of a wider national programme.

“It was kind of a national fundraiser for Mary’s Meals to strike the country,” John said.

“As part of it, I walked from Thurles to Knock, Martin Bourke cycled around Lough Derg, and another chap, Dan Dunne, swam 10 kilometres from Castle Loch to Ballina. That was our piece of the national programme.”

An online GoFundMe has also been set up, allowing people to support the campaign with a donation.

John said the charity has been established in Ireland for around 20 years, having been founded internationally in 2002 by Scotsman Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow.

MacFarlane-Barrow had previously run the Scottish International Relief organisation and spent years bringing funds and aid to people affected by the Bosnian War.

After the conflict ended, he travelled to Malawi, one of the poorest countries in Africa.

There, he visited a family living in a mud hut. The father had died and the mother was seriously ill. She told him that all she could do was pray that someone would take care of her children.

MacFarlane-Barrow spoke to the eldest son, Edward, who explained that if he could receive one meal a day, he would have enough energy to attend school and eventually support his younger siblings.

That conversation helped inspire the creation of what would become Mary’s Meals.

“He took over the school of 200 students and guaranteed them one meal a day for the academic year,” John explained.

“The whole thing turned inside out. The kids were happy, they were running around, and the school population started to increase because of the food that was there.”

From that initial project, Mary’s Meals has grown substantially. Today, the charity provides meals to millions of children across some of the world’s poorest countries.

“We’re in 16 of the poorest countries in the world,” John said.

He also highlighted the organisation’s approach to donations, saying that Mary’s Meals places a strong emphasis on ensuring contributions reach the children who need them.

“Our big selling point is that every euro goes directly to Mary’s Meals,” he said.

“We have to cover all our own expenses.”

According to John, Mary’s Meals guarantees that 97% of each euro donated reaches the frontline.

The charity also has a strong volunteer base in Ireland, with around 200 volunteers supporting its work.

John said the organisation collects approximately €3 million every year in Ireland.

With the current fundraising campaign nearing its conclusion, there are already plans for further activity later in the year, including a Christmas campaign.

John encouraged people who wish to support Mary’s Meals to make a donation through the campaign’s online GoFundMe.

For more information or to support the fundraiser, people can contact the Mary’s Meals Tipperary branch or find the campaign through its social media channels.

The Tipperary fundraising efforts demonstrated by the volunteers have so far raised €2,400 of a target of €3,000 on GoFundMe, with the page still open to donations for those who wish to support the cause by visiting the GoFundMe.