GOAL Mile to be staged in Mayo on Christmas Day

The annual Castlebar GOAL Mile will take place at Lough Lannagh, castlebar, on Christmas Day, starting at 11.30 a.m. from teh car park.

Registration is now open at www.goalmile.org. This year the GOAL mile is supported by AIB.

The organizers are encouraging everybody to get involved and especially all sporting organisations to take part this year.

This event is non-competitive and is open to families, walkers, joggers and runners of all ages.

This Christmas your support and generosity will help those who are far from home.

As Christmas approaches, temperatures have begun to plummet across Ukraine.

Constant shelling has left millions of homes without electricity. Temperatures in Ukraine can fall as low as -20 degrees.

As the people of Ukraine look to the sky in fear of another attack they worry if they and their children will survive until the next day.

By helping and supporting the Castlebar GOAL Mile you can provide hope to ten of thousands of families left in darkness.

Your help towards Goal will provide emergency aid , hygiene kits, blankets, shelter, health care, food and generators and hope to the millions of refugees who are displaced across 14 countries .

GOAL is presently helping more than 18 million people in Ukraine, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Your support has made this possible as we continue our mission to help communities to respond to and recover from conflict, disease, climate change and the humanitarian crises worldwide.

GOAL volunteers are on the ground throughout the year but especially so at Christmas to help others who have far less than us.

Donations will be accepted on the day towards the people in the third world who are less fortunate than us this Christmas and throughout the calendar year.

GOAL Miles are held at Christmas in villages, towns and cities right across Ireland.

Now in its 40th year, the event sees thousands of participants run, jog or walk a mile and raise funds and awareness for Goal's programmes in the developing world.

One of the country's most popular annual events, the Castlebar Goal Mile has become an integral part of Christmas for hundreds of families.

Each individual mile event is run by one or more local organizers. It is largely because of their support and hard work that the GOAL Mile has become such a success.

All funding raised on the day will help build and equip health centers, train local health staff, and deliver vaccination and malnutrition programmes. We also train local communities in health awareness and hygiene promotion.

Why not turn up to Lough Lannagh in Castlebar on Christmas morning at 11.30 a.m. and participate in a worthy cause that will help millions of people throughout the world.

Your donation will make a life changing difference to so many children and their families.