GOAL celebrates 35 years of community, camaraderie and charity this Jersey Day

Irish international humanitarian aid agency GOAL has announced the return of its national flagship fundraising campaign, Jersey Day, on Friday, October 13.

This year, GOAL is celebrating 35 years of schools and businesses swapping out their uniforms for their favourite sports jerseys. All funds raised will go towards supporting GOAL’s lifesaving work across the world.

Jersey Day is a household favourite, having raised over €5 million to date. Last year's contributions exceeded €160,000, all of which went towards supporting GOAL projects in 13 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Ukraine.

This year's event will unite approximately 40,000 people from over 500 primary and secondary schools, corporations and state organisations, representing every county in Ireland.

In Mayo alone, three schools will be participating, and will be joined by Home Instead.

Speaking about this fun national fundraising campaign, Eamon Sharkey, GOAL’s director of fundraising and communications, commented: “Jersey Day's appeal lies in its simplicity – all you need to do is wear your favourite jersey and donate to GOAL’s humanitarian aid work.

“The fundraiser also offers participants, especially in a post-pandemic world, an ideal opportunity for reconnection, fostering a sense of camaraderie while supporting GOAL's mission to help some of the world’s most vulnerable communities move from extreme crisis to resilience, where everyone has equal rights and opportunities.”

Generously supported by Folens, Ireland’s leading school books publisher, this year's Jersey Day invites participants to showcase their involvement and inspire others by sharing images and experiences on social media using the hashtag #GOALJerseyDay. Registration and fundraising have been simplified, with participants able to sign up and receive their event pack via the GOAL Jersey Day website.

Exciting prizes are up for grabs for those participating in Jersey Day 2023. Schools can win €1,000 towards new jerseys, courtesy of Folens, and one lucky workplace will secure a session of performance leadership coaching offered by McNulty Performance Coaching, providing an added incentive for engagement and participation.