RTÉ 2fm’s Hector O’ hEochagáin had a “hearth-warming surprise” this morning when he received a call from Bord na Móna pledging up to 20,000 bales of peat briquettes to help thousands of the weakest and most vulnerable people in Ireland this Christmas. The call came after the breakfast presenter asked all listeners do what they could to help Saint Vincent de Paul’s Urgent Appeal.
A short while after Hector had made the announcement, he had a surprise call from John Keogh of Bord na Móna who made the pledge of 10,000 bales of peat briquettes to SVP. In addition to making this pledge, Bord na Móna also promised Hector that they would double their offer to 20,000 bales if 500 people log on to Saint Vincent de Paul’s online campaign and make a contribution in the next week.
The company also promised to reward one lucky contributor to the SVP Urgent Appeal with a pallet of peat briquettes. The winner will be announced on Breakfast with Hector next Friday.
Speaking shortly after Bord na Móna made the call RTÉ 2fm’s Hector said “I’ve been lighting fires in my house for years, there’s nothing better then seeing a blazing fire and all the family gathered round it! I’m delighted the show is behind this and as we always say keep her lit but don’t forget to take out the ashes in the morning. Keep her lit this Christmas with Vincent de Paul!”
Speaking after delivering the good news to Hector, John Keogh of Bord na Móna said “We are delighted to help this incredibly important campaign with a donation that will help many vulnerable families put a fire in the hearth this Christmas. We also want to see lots of people go online and donate to Saint Vincent de Paul and give what they can to their urgent appeal- if enough people make a donation we’re promising to double the pledge to 20,000 bales”.
Mr Keogh acknowledged the wider more serious issue that prompted the generous gift to Saint Vincent de Paul. He said “All of us at Bord na Móna know how hard it is for increasing numbers of people to heat their homes. It’s a sad fact of life now that fuel poverty is an issue for this generation of Irish people. It’s up to all of us, not just companies like Bord na Móna but all of us in society, to be aware that a lot of Irish homeowners cannot afford to provide a basic human need like heat to their families”.
Visit www.svp.ie/Appeal to make a donation.
Source: Bord na Móna – RTE 2fm’s Hector ‘Baled Over’ by Bord na Móna Donation to SVP
