Christmas Day GOAL Miles in Mayo in aid of nations in crisis

A CALL has been issued to Mayo people to step up for communities facing crises around the world this Christmas.

The much-awaited annual GOAL Mile will take place on Christmas Day (December 25) in Ballina and Castlebar with the aim to raise funding to help people survive the most unimaginable disasters.

The public's incredible support over the years has allowed GOAL to give vulnerable communities a brighter future.

This year's Castlebar event will start at 11.15 a.m. and finish at the Lough Lannagh car park on the Westport Road around 12.15 p.m. The cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Councillor Donna Sheridan, will officially open the event. The route will take in the scenic setting of the Lough Lannagh lake.

The GOAL Mile has become an institution on Christmas Day in Ballina and celebrates 21 years this year. It takes place again in Belleek Woods from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

Whether you're walking, running or simply showing your support, every step taken will raise vital funds for GOALs life saving humanitarian across 15 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Ukraine.

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

The organisers 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, and is wheelchair and dog friendly.

This Christmas, your support and generosity will help those who are far from settled in their homeland throughout the world. As Christmas approaches, temperatures have begun to plummet across the many countries who need support. Constant conflict, war, hunger, climate change and disease has left millions of homes without electricity. Temperatures in some countries can fall as low as -20 degrees.

As the people of the most vulnerable communities look to the skies in fear of another attack or crisis, they worry if they and their children will survive until the next day. Women and children have suffered the greatest heartbreak of the 25 million people who are affected in 15 countries this Christmas. GOAL has also been on the ground in Israel since the war began. Help has also been provided in Turkey and Syria following the recent conflict, earthquakes and climate change.

By helping and supporting the GOAL Mile, you can provide hope to tens 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 15 countries.

GOAL is presently helping more than 25 million people in Ukraine, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Your support has made this possible as GOAL continues their 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. You can also visit the Castlebar GOAL Mile page on social media and donate on the fundraising page through iDonate. There will be a QR scan board located at the Lough Lannagh Car Park on Christmas day. In Ballina – which last year (2023) ranked 14th out of the 160 GOAL mile locations in Ireland and raised almost €9,000 in the process thanks to the hard work of the local committee – sponsorship cards can be obtained by contacting Catherine on (087) 9736310 or Marion on (086) 3644073.

Last year, some €630,000 was raised in Ireland through the GOAL Mile events. They have become an integral part of Christmas for hundreds of families in Mayo and for people returning home for the festive season and the new year.

Each individual GOAL Mile event is run by one or more local organisers. 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. GOAL also trains local communities in health awareness and hygiene promotion.

The local organiser of the Castlebar GOAL Mile, Michael Brophy, has stated that any donation will make a life-changing difference to so many children and their families. Support is needed now more than ever to reach vulnerable communities and their people to build a better world for them going forward.

GOAL's work is only possible thanks to events like the GOAL Mile in Ballina and Castlebar and the generosity of local people.

GOAL is an Irish international humanitarian response agency dedicated to saving and transforming the lives of millions of people in communities across the world who are facing the impact of war, climate change and conflict.

Photo: The launch of the Castlebar GOAL Mile took place at the AIB head office in Castlebar. This event will be held on Christmas day and is proudly supported and partnered by AIB Castlebar. Pictured are Helen Quinn AIB, Seamus Cronin, Branch Manager AIB, Michael Brophy, Castlebar GOAL Mile organiser, Ivan Kelly, Retail Manager AIB, and Councillor Blackie Gavin, volunteer, Castlebar GOAL Mile.