£1750 POUNDS RAISED SO FAR..
DEADLINE FOR DONATIONS 31 JANUARY 2005!
On 19 January 2005 Blackstaff Press put on an evening of the arts in aid of the Tsunami Disaster Appeal at The John Hewitt bar on Donegall Street, Belfast. The proceeds from donations on the door, sale of raffle tickets and donations from people who could not attend on the night totalled GBP 875, and this amount has been matched by the Baird Group of commpanies, of which Blackstaff Press is a member. All moneys raised will go to schools and fishing communities in tsunami-affected parts of Thailand.
At present Blackstaff Press is establishing contact with schoolteachers and aid workers on the ground in order to make sure that the funds raised by everyone who has so generously contributed to the Appeal will be delivered as effectively and reliably as possible to the people in need when she and her partner, Fiacc O Brolchain, visit Thailand in February. ‘We were so pleased that our authors came together so quickly and at such short notice,’ said Blackstaff Press managing editor, Patsy Horton. ‘With our grassroots tradition, it’s very important for Blackstaff to make a difference at a local level for those affected by the tragedy of the tsunami.’
Blackstaff Press editor Rachel McNicholl, whose sister is a medical researcher working in Thailand, explains how the idea for the literary fundraising event came about:‘My sister was sent to Phang Nga province with a team of medical and forensic experts and described to me her shock at what she saw--dead bodies, ruined schools, smashed up fishing piers and boats, orphaned children. Blackstaff Press was keen to do something to help. She suggested a specific school and village that I could bring aid to when I visit Thailand in February.’‘I think it makes a difference if we can deliver 100% of the money raised to a specific community to help rebuild schools, fishing boats and piers. We'll be able to report back on how the community is getting on, and keep the people who've supported the Blackstaff Press effort informed via updates on our website. Having direct contact in Thailand makes it all more tangible. I feel it's a great opportunity to make a difference to these particular communities' efforts to rebuild their lives.'
A selection of Blackstaff Press 2005 authors generously agreed to read, recite or play some music on the night:Poet Michael Longley read John Hewitt's poem 'The Ram's Horn' and recite a couple of pieces from his collection 'A Lake Without a Name', which will be published by Blackstaff as a fine edition, with illustrations by Jeffrey Morgan, in autumn 2005.Novelist Anne Doughty read from her forthcoming 'The Hamiltons of Ballydown', the sequel to the popular 'The Woman from Kerry'.Poet Ciaran Carson, who is also editor of 'The Yellow Nib', the new literary journal of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry (appearing in April 2005), read a couple of his own poems. He and his wife, musician Deirdre Carson, also introduced each block of readings with a few tunes on flute and fiddle.Former BBC and ITV reporter Denis Tuohy read from his memoirs, 'Wide-Eyed in Medialand: A broadcaster's journey', which will appear in April 2005.Travel writer Geoff Hill spoke about his travels in Thailand, and referred to his epic motorcycle journeys as described in 'Way to Go: Two of the world's great motorcycle journeys', which will be published in April 2005.
A variety of prizes donated by The John Hewitt, Movie House Cinemas, Blackstaff Press, the Baird Group and a regular of The John Hewitt who could not attend on the night were raffled after the literary and musical part of the evening.
Anyone who could not attend the event on 19 January can still contribute in cash (collection box at The John Hewitt) or by sending a cheque (sterling or euros) to The Blackstaff Press Tsunami Appeal, 4c Heron Wharf, Sydenham Business Park, Belfast, BT3 9LE, Northern Ireland.All donations 31 January, please, as funds will be delivered directly to Thailand in early February.
Stay tuned here for more details about the final total as well as our editor, Rachel McNicholl's trip to Thailand to deliver the funds!
source http://www.blackstaffpress.com/
