Save Our Skibbereen gives back to their community
Two years ago, Save Our Skibbereen (SOS) started fundraising for their campaign to overturn the planning permission for a Thermoplastic Production Facility in Skibbereen. Having won their case in the High Court, they now have started to redistribute their funds to community organisations in Skibbereen and West Cork.
“Having been awarded costs by the court following our successful campaign to protect the environment in and around Roaring Water Bay from water and air pollution,” Fiona Hayes, SOS Director, said, “SOS has been able to support a large number of community projects.”
“We publicised the fund in October and we received a large number of applications by community projects, for a total amount requested of more than €50,000.00,” said Brendan McCarthy, SOS Chairperson. “All of which were for excellent causes and were very well presented. This left us the challenging task of allocating the current tranche amount of €20,000.00.”
After a difficult process of assessing the applications, the four SOS directors, Brendan McCarthy, Brendan McCormack, Fiona Hayes, and Harry Sexton, made the decision to provide grants to 12 recipients – Skibbereen Tidy Towns, West Cork Choral Singers, Skibbereen Wave Makers, Sustainable Skibbereen, Skibbereen Historical Society, West Cork Atlantic Plastic Project, Baltimore Tidy Towns, West Cork Kayaking Club, Growing Together, Baltimore Sea Memorial, Hairy Henry Care Farm and Bantry Bay Protect Our Native Kelp Campaign.
“It is an absolute delight to be in a position to use these funds, raised by the community for the good of the community and to see such an amazing range of excellent community projects being carried out here.
Our only regret is that we are not able to fund them all.” Said Brendan McCormack.
“This is a massive testament to what we can achieve when we all work together.” Added Harry Sexton. “We would like to say a huge thank you to all our supporters and donors who made this possible.”
To date, SOS have distributed over €25,000 in 2020 to community groups with earlier grants having been allocated to Green Skibbereen and the Skibbereen Geriatric Society Luncheon Club.
“It has been a tough year for everyone in West Cork but out of original adversity, we have been able to plant the seeds for a much better 2021,” said Brendan McCormack. “It will be great to see the legacy of our campaign continued on by all these brilliant groups.”