East Antrim public responds with £20k during Covid-hit Wings Appeal collection

The RAF Association’s Carrickfergus Branch’s Wings Appeal has broken through the £20,000 barrier for the twelfth year in a row despite the impact of pandemic restrictions.
Carrickfergus RAFA branch members Jim Creighton, Noel Williams, Kevin McRandle and Joe Corr with their cheque and some of the trophies they have won in topping UK branch collections.Carrickfergus RAFA branch members Jim Creighton, Noel Williams, Kevin McRandle and Joe Corr with their cheque and some of the trophies they have won in topping UK branch collections.
Carrickfergus RAFA branch members Jim Creighton, Noel Williams, Kevin McRandle and Joe Corr with their cheque and some of the trophies they have won in topping UK branch collections.

And the branch, which covers Whitehead through Carrickfergus and Greenisland to Newtownabbey and Glengormley, has paid tribute to all who helped with collection during the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Wing Commander Noel Williams, branch chairman and Wings Appeal organiser, said: “Covid or no Covid, the incredibly generous people throughout our catchment area have, yet again, come out to support us in what has been a real year of need.

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“Like almost every charity our fundraising activity has been devastated by the pandemic. We have not been able to have stalls in any of our usual supermarket outlets, so the tins we have in shops and other outlets throughout the year have come into their own. For that reason, we can’t thank the shops, pubs and garages enough for putting out collecting Tins all year round.”

Kevin McRandle MBE, branch life vice president said:“I am amazed by the generosity of the people of Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey who never let us down when it comes to veteran’s charities. Incredibly they have again broken the £20,000 mark during a year blighted by coronavirus and affected by the uncertainty of Brexit coming around the corner.”

Echoing these sentiments, Maureen Irwin, branch president, said: “We also thank the schools, churches and businesses that have sent us much needed larger donations to supplement our staple diet of smaller coins that go into out tins in many outlets.

“Every little helps and as you can see, as the old saying confirms: ‘If you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves’. And that is what enabled us to raise this awesome total of £20,000 during this the most testing of Wings Appeal years.”

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The branch hopes the public will again see members at its usual outlets during the 2021 Wings Appeal campaign.

Mr Williams added: “In closing the 2020 Wings Appeal, I thank all those who gave so selflessly and generously to assist our welfare work; making it possible to raise £20,080.80 in this the 80th anniversary year of the Battle of Britain. Thank you to the many who supported ‘The Few’, as our Battle of Britain heroes were known.”

Read previous Wings Appeal story here

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