CHILDREN in Kinsale are helping to alleviate the homeless crisis in Cork this Christmas after raising more than €3,000 for Cork Simon that was used to purchase sleeping bags.

The fifth and sixth class pupils of Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile held a coffee morning and cake sale last week and raised €3,070 for Cork Simon.

The school ran similar fundraisers last year and raised €2,400 and purchased 200 sleeping bags.

“This year when we contacted the Simon Community to tell them the amount of money the children raised they asked us if we could once again purchase sleeping bags,” teacher Carol O’Callaghan said.

Midleton Army Surplus Warehouse kindly agreed again this year to provide the sleeping bags at cost price, which allowed the children to purchase 250 sleeping bags this Christmas.

“It was great to see how the kids got stuck in organising this fundraiser themselves.”

“They painted posters and put them up around the town, contacted local businesses and managed to gather up 71 raffle prizes.”