Step by step for Mary's Meals

This year, people from all over Ireland joined the walk to Knock, to raise awareness and vital funds to help feed hungry children in some of the world’s poorest communities. Thirteen walkers left Cavan Town on August 10 last to walk to Granard as part of the fundraising initiative.

Walkers set off from four other starting points across the country. Participants on each route covered more than 200km as they made their way to the Marian Shrine in County Mayo but readers are being reminded that they can still contribute to the collection.

Patricia Friel is the executive director for the charity Mary's Meals. She said that Covid-19 restrictions presented some challenges for the walkers and organisers this year.

"With the restrictions, we were unable to hold bucket collections along the routes this year. Mary’s Meals relies on the kindness and generosity of the Irish people. €18.30 will feed a child for a whole school year and at least 93% of each donation goes directly to our charitable activities," she told the Celt.

"Mary’s Meals is a story of hope. We believe that every child should have enough food to eat and be able to go to school. We work with some of the world’s poorest communities to set up school feeding programmes in places where hunger and poverty can stop children from gaining an education. We provide daily meals in school to encourage children – who might otherwise be working or scavenging for food – to gain an education that can offer them a route out of poverty. Our school feeding programmes are owned and run by local communities," added Ms Friel.

Those who wish to donate can do so by logging on to marysmeals.ie/donate or you can text Joy to 50300. Text costs €4. Mary's Meals will receive a minimum of €3.60.

Photo above: Happy but tired walkers in Granard having completed the walk. From left: Shay Boylan, Fr Eamonn Kelly, Patricia Shannon, Josephine Donaghey, Aisling, John Joe, Fionn, Cathy, Annette Purcell, Geraldine Cooney, Pauline Nugent, Patricia and Peter Donnelly and Bríd McKiernan.