Midlands Simon and Longford Rugby Club join forces for annual ‘Sleep Out’

The figure, which was relayed at the official launch last week of Midlands Simon Community's annual sleep out, followed similar revelations that 180 tents and sleeping bags were handed out across the midlands region last year.

Mark Cooney, chairperson of Longford's Midlands Simon Community said this year's annual fundraiser was arguably more important than ever before.

“The biggest problem we have had in recent years and Longford is no different to Athlone, Mullingar and Dublin and that is, people are sleeping rough,” he said.

“If anything we need it more than ever particularly after the passing of Covid which has had a huge effect in terms of both fundraising and the extra costs associated with voluntary organisations.

“We are still recovering from that and while we are state funded we couldn’t run the organisation going and running at the level we do without fundraising.”

The launch night was held last Thursday at Longford Rugby Club, the same venue which will play host to the April 7 spectacle in what is being billed as a joint fundraising event.

The Athlone based solicitor said while Midlands Simon was State funded, it's reliance on the goodwill of the wider public could not be understated.

“The money that is raised and which comes to Midlands Simon is used to support people as we do on an ongoing basis, every single day 365 days here in Longford and the three other midland counties,” he said.

“The objective of Midlands Simon is to move people from homelessness to their own accommodation but not just getting them in and saying ‘Good luck, off you go’, we support them once they get there.”

Community Fundraising Coordinator Noel Greene revealed this year's occasion was buoyed by the support of four patrons, namely Ballinalee native and entrepreneur Anne Heraty, Killoe businessman Frank Kiernan and Irish rugby stars Robbie Henshaw and Fiona Coghlan.

Longford Rugby Club President Donagh McDonnell said it was a significant honour for the club to be associated with an event which was so close to the hearts of so many Longford people.

Equally, he said while the presence of Midlands Simon was well founded, it was his belief that a large proportion of the wider public were still unaware the organisation boasted its very own premises on Longford town's Earl Street.
Longford Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr Gerry Hagan, meanwhile, officially launched the event.

In paying tribute to the fundraiser's four patrons, Cllr Hagan said the importance of Midlands Simon and the service it provides was indelibly apparent. “This is a very important fundraising initiative to support people who are less well off and less fortunate than ourselve and Midlands Simon is the vehicle by which we in the Midlands can do this,” he said.

*Midlands Simon Community/Longford Rugby Club's Sleep Out 2023 takes place on Good Friday Night, April 7.