The Principal of Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, Mr Diarmuid MULLINS, has advised that the College will be holding their Annual 5Km Fun Run on Good Friday 15 April 2022. This year’s event is being sponsored by Specsavers and all donations are being made to the event charity partner, the Jesuit Refugee Service in support of their work in Europe and Ireland. This is a virtual event and Past Pupils who are interested in participating are encouraged to do so in their own local area. Donations to the Jesuit Refugee Service can be made via the link:
https://jrseurope.org/en/news/ukraine-emergency-providing-continuous-response-as-humanitarian-needs-increase/?form=solidarity-with-ukraine
The first 250 donations will be able to collect an event Tee Shirt at the College on a first come first served donation basis. The JRS has requested that participants include the letters LK beside their donation to capture the donations made by the Crescent Community. Please see below for information on the activities of the Jesuit Refugee Service.
The war in Ukraine has led to the largest forced displacement of people since the Second World War. It is estimated more than 10.5million men, women and children have been forced to flee their homes. 6.5million are internally displaced within Ukraine and 4 million refugees have crossed borders in search of safety and protection.
We are delighted that this years Crescent 5Km Fun Run, sponsored by Specsavers, will be be run in aid of JRS One Appeal for Ukraine. It is a fantastic and generous response from the Crescent Comprehensive SJ school community. The proceeds will be used to support JRS’s work in Ukraine, in neighbouring countries and in Ireland.
Below are some of the emerging needs at home and abroad arising from the unprecedented number of families, children and individuals forcibly displaced by the war in Ukraine that will be supported from the funds raised by the Crescent 5km Fun Run.
The JRS Europe Regional Office is coordinating the development and delivery of an emergency response and services to needs arising in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, which is supported through funds donated to the JRS One Response Appeal.
In Ukraine, Jesuits are hosting people who are fleeing their homes in the Jesuit Refugee house in Lviv (6.5 million internally displaced).
In Poland, JRS is providing basic supplies, and organising legal, administrative, and psychological support (2.4 million refugees).
In Romania, JRS is supporting people arriving at reception centres along the border and providing shelter (0.6 million refugees).
In Hungary, JRS is providing food and medicines, as well as organising longer-term accommodation support (0.39 million refugees).
JRS offices in South-east Europe are also organising to welcome and accommodate people feeling Ukraine.
JRS is monitoring the response of the European Union and advocating for fair welcome and protection of all people fleeing Ukraine.
Ireland has received an unprecedented number of refugees more than 14,000 to date and it is estimated. The main focus is finding short term accommodation in the context of a national housing crisis and attending to immediate basic needs. Seeking to put in place wrap around supports is a mammoth task due to the remote locations and the scale of the need and the fact more vulnerable and traumatised families, children and individuals are arriving on a daily basis.
Clare has received more than 1,400 refugees in recent weeks, 10% of the 14,000 arrivals in Ireland, which is a massively disproportionate share relative to its population. The necessary support services for this vulnerable and traumatised refugee population are not available in the remote towns and villages where they are being placed.
In Limerick the numbers of Ukrainian refugees that are in State accommodation is in over 300 and rising. Arriving refugees have voiced concerns about the remoteness of accommodation offered in Ardagh and Foynes, which are long distances from support services and employment opportunities.
As you would expect a whole spectrum of support needs are presenting among the refugees arriving from Ukraine. In Dublin, JRS Ireland are responding to needs of Ukrainian refugees who have been placed in pre-reception centres and hotels.
In the Midwest region, JRS Ireland are providing information and advice for recently arrived Ukrainian, to help children arriving with special needs to access education and sadly to provide advice about funeral arrangements for one Ukrainian lady who passed away in Shannon days after her arrival. Everyday new challenges and needs are presenting that require a coordinated response from service providers across the Midwest (Limerick and Clare).
JRS Ireland is working with a range of partners, including West Limerick Resources, Doras, the Clare Immigrant Support Centre and HSE Social Inclusion, to explore how to coordinate our response and ensure funds raised are directed toward the most urgent needs on the ground among recent Ukrainian arrivals in Limerick and Clare.
JRS Ireland would like to express our thanks to Crescent staff, pupils, parents, the wider school community and the Crescent 5km Fun Run sponsors, Specsavers, for their generosity in organising and participating in this event on Good Friday.
Please place LK beside your donation on this link so we can keep a track of the final total raised by the Crescent Community https://jrseurope.org/en/news/ukraine-emergency-providing-continuous-response-as-humanitarian-needs-increase/?form=solidarity-with-ukraine . Please once you have donated just pop into the school to collect your T- Shirt for the run! Enjoy the run