Portlaoise College students will be holding a Christmas market and charity auction this Sunday in Portlaoise Parish Centre from 12pm until 4pm.
All funds raised will go towards a school and a health centre that they work with in Gambia.
The school has been traveling to the Gambia every two years since their initial trip in 2012.
Sixteen students have been engaged in a number of fundraisers both individually and collectively over the last twelve months including a sponsored walk that concluded in Emo Court last week.
The project has provided electricity and a well to the Jamisa Yiriwa Nursery school.
Not only does the school benefit from the electricity but also over 500 homes in the immediate community can connect to the electricity.
During their last trip, they also painted the school, updated and repaired kitchen facilities, repainted a play area, and donated three laptops and three overhead projectors along with many other educational materials to the school.
They have also donated medical supplies to the local maternity hospital and medical centre.
The Christmas Market will include festive foods and treats, a caricature stand, decorative Christmas cribs, bespoke large Christmas candles, Christmas decorations, body soaps, body scrubs and much more.
There will also be a ‘Voucher Pick a Mix’. For €30 you can buy a random voucher worth up to €100, with a minimum of €20.
The vouchers were kindly donated by local businesses including Shaws, Kelly Lou Cakes, Supervalu, Dunnes Stores, McElwee’s Pharmacy, Dunkeen Oil, Harding’s butchers, Feighery’s butchers, O’Gorman’s, Furniture Properly, Roll n’ Bowl, Lana restaurant, Certa oil voucher, Hogan’s Pub Coolrain and the Style bar.
There is also an auction taking place at 3pm where they have some fantastic offerings including a framed signed Kilkenny Senior Hurling Jersey, a 2-night stay with one evening meal in any FBD hotel, a Samsung tablet, a 3 Night stay in a seaside cottage in Donegal, dinner for 2 in the Maldron Hotel and two Christmas hampers.
A spokesperson said: “If you cannot make the auction and would like to bid in advance on any item, please email ptravers@portlaoisecollege.ie with your bid.”
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