The Applegreen company has made an initial donation of €50,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund.
The fund, which opens today, will provide rapid and long-term assistance to the Creeslough community following a fatal explosion on Friday.
Applegreen and An Post are supporting the fund on behalf of the Irish Red Cross. Applegreen has offered support via an initial donation and the promotion of the fund in its network of almost 200 service stations across Ireland. An Post will help by accepting monetary donations in all branches nationwide from today.
Donations can also be made online at: https://www.redcross.ie/latest-appeals/creeslough/
All donations to the fund will be dedicated to the support of those who have been bereaved, injured, made homeless, or left without an income as a result of the tragedy.
In the days and weeks ahead, the Irish Red Cross will work with the community of Creeslough to ensure that all contributions will be used effectively and as needed to assist those affected by this incident.
Speaking on the tragedy in Creeslough, Applegreen Founder and Chief Executive Joe Barrett said it was a “very dark day for Creeslough, for Donegal, for Ireland, and for all of us in the wider Applegreen family.”
Mr Barrett said: “This is a hugely tragic event, and I would like to offer our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased, and to the entire community in Creeslough. We are utterly shocked and saddened at what happened yesterday. I would also like to offer our thanks to the emergency services, and first responders, who are dealing with the incident.
“We have been working with our local partners in Creeslough since 2014. We are providing them with assistance and support locally at this very difficult time. The Applegreen in Creeslough is at the very heart of the village and contains the local post office and supermarket.
“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Creeslough. Today we mourn those who have lost their lives alongside the entire country. We will continue to assist and support our partners, and the wider Creeslough community, in the days and weeks ahead.”
