The Warm for Winter initiative first garnered nationwide attention last year when Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge was adorned with donated coats for the homeless. Hung up on the iconic landmark one cold December night, the coats appeared alongside a sign that read: “if you need one then please take one… If you want to help, please hang one up.”
A project organised by Paddy Fryers of Co Monaghan, the initiative has picked back up again for this season with over 30 warm coats and hats being dropped off under Connolly Bridge last week.
Encouraging locals to support the cause once more, a post on the Warm for Winter Facebook page advises how best to get involved.
It reads:
“Our advice for hanging up your warm jacket
1. Check the weather pick a dry night for Ha’penny Bridge.
2. Please make sure donations are clean and zips work.
3. Please use a hanger to hang them up. (Don’t just hang them by the hood/collar)
4. Please hang the jackets up in evenings. 6pm or after
5. Bring a friend 🙂
6. ONLY HANG ONE UP IF YOU FEEL WELL ENOUGH TO DO SO. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY SYMPTOMS OF SICKNESS OR COVID PLEASE DONT HANG ONE UP UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CLEARED.Thank you all for the amazing support.”
According to statistics on the Dublin Simon Community website, over 6,000 people were recorded as homeless in Dublin this September with the large majority of them spending the second lockdown in emergency accommodation.
Header image via Facebook/Warm for Winter
