On Sunday 8th December, players from Glentoran, Glentoran Women, and volunters from within the club and support, held a sleepover at the Oval in aid of the 2019 Glentoran Christmas Appeal for the Homeless.
Since 2013, Glentoran Football Club has implemented a Christmas appeal to provide gifts, food, clothes and other necessities for members of the homeless community in Belfast and for pensioners and lower income families within the club’s home of East Belfast.
The volunteers on sleepover would like to say a massive thank you to The Pizza Co Ballyhackamore for supplying the volunteers with free pizzas. The Pizza Co is one of Glentorans valued sponsors, supplying free pizzas to our team and visiting teams at all home matches. So, Glenmen and Glenwomen, if you're ordering a pizza ... The Pizza Co Ballyhackamore is the place to go - 02890 021043. Please support them as they support us. Thank you The Pizza Co.
Video of the sleepover Here
Christmas Homeless Appeal message from Glentoran captain Marcus Kane Here
Events still to come for this year's appeal:
Friday 13th December: Children’s Christmas Party in the Connswater/Ballymacarrett Community Centre, Ballymacarrett Walkway.
Saturday 14th December: Final collection of items at Glentoran v Crusaders match at the Oval. The collection point will be located in the main carpark (at the directors' entrance) before and during the match.
Wednesday 18th December – Christmas Eve: Glentoran players and supporters will distribute items (including Christmas Hampers, electricity top-ups, meal vouchers and toys – to local families on low incomes and pensioners.
Monday 22nd December: Hostel and Street Vigil: Players from the Glentoran first team and women’s team alongside club directors and volunteers will visit Belfast’s homeless centres and also the city centre to distribute Christmas gifts to those in need.
Drop off points for gifts or other necessary items will be at the Glentoran Superstore or Milk Bar at the Oval, Parkgate Drive, and the Westbourne Glentoran Supporters Club, 3 Solway Street, Newtownards Road. Opening hours for the Glentoran Superstore are available here
Items most urgently needed include: Tinned Meat, Tinned Fish, Tinned Vegetables, Tinned Fruit, Tinned Soup, Tea Bags, Fray Bentos Pies, Coffee, Biscuits, Shloer, Selection Boxes, Jam, Marmalade, Red and Brown Sauce, Cranberry Sauce, Christmas Puddings & Christmas Crackers.
Other items of interest include male and female gift sets, tubs of sweets and boxes of chocolate.
Plus, toys, of course.
Anyone unable to get to East Belfast can make a donation via PayPal here
We are still collecting donations up until Saturday 14th December.
At the sleepover, Catherine McClean , who has raised an amazing amount of money in sponsorship for our Christmas Appeal wore a t-shirt in memory of her cousin Stephen Morrow who dedicated a lot of his time helping the homeless community.