Stick with us

A NORTHSIDE charity has moved to allay any concerns its supporters may have following controversy surrounding the sector.

Raheny-based Blossom Ireland was established in May 2010 by local women Auveen Bell and Orla Crowe with the aim of providing summer camps for children with disabilities.

The charity has been a huge success since its inception and won a SPAR Helping Hand award for its work this year.

It contacted Northside People to clarify how money donated to it is spent, and has urged its supporters to

“stick with us

? as it plans for expansion in 2014.

Co-founder Ms Bell pointed out that Blossom Ireland receives no funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) or any other State agency.

“We are financed 100 per cent by donations and fundraising,

? she said.

“Neither Orla nor I draw any salary from the organisation, let alone a pension, a bonus or top-ups. We are totally transparent, have nothing to hide and are extremely honest.

“When Orla and myself founded Blossom Ireland we felt and continue to feel a huge responsibility to our supporters. Our promise has always been that we will spend money from donations wisely.

“Our overriding goal for each camp is that the children who attend will be supported, engaged and above all will have fun.

?

Ms Bell said there was still a strong surge of goodwill towards her charity.

“Fortunately we haven’t been affected as we still have donations coming in,

? she said.

“We have great support from the local community and the Raheny Business Association (RBA), and the people on the ground are giving 100 per cent.

“We would urge people to continue with their donations as the services have to be delivered and it wouldn’t be fair to see the children suffer.

“We can certainly promise members of the public that every euro donated to us goes to the children.

?

Ms Bell said they are always striving to make the camps affordable for families.

“The cost for families is

?¬80 per child per week whereas the actual cost to Blossom Ireland is over

?¬500 per child per week,

? she explained.

“The biggest cost to the organisation each year is the staff we pay to run our camps.

“We made a conscious decision to use paid professionals as opposed to the more traditional route of volunteer staff as we felt that this was the only way we could guarantee the level of service we know these children need and deserve.

?

Ms Bell said the people they hire to deliver all of their camps are trained to assist these children to engage in activities to the maximum of their ability.

“They know how to offer just the right amount of support while at the same time encouraging as much independence as possible,

? she stated.

“Like us they are passionate in the belief that these children deserve the same opportunities as all children.

?

In its first year, Blossom Ireland ran one camp for two weeks for 21 children, which rose to 36 children this summer.

“The bottom line is that without support the 36 children who attended our camps this year would have faced a very long and empty summer holidays,

? said Ms Bell.

“For 2014 we are planning to run two weeks of camp during the Easter holidays, three weeks during August, a Halloween camp and a block of Yoga which we hope with continued support we will be able to do.

?

A Charities Regulatory Authority is to be established in 2014 and Ms Bell said this would be a very welcome development.

“It would be in the best interests of all charities,

? she added.

“On behalf of all of the

‘Blossom Families’, I would like to thank our supporters most sincerely. Without their continued support we would not exist.

?