People asked to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to charity

St Mary's Pro Cathedral in Dublin has begun its annual appeal for any unwanted Christmas presents, which it will be distributed to homeless families through Crosscare.

The Dublin Catholic diocese announced staff at the Pro Cathedral, on Marlborough Street in inner city Dublin, are collecting donations of any unwanted gifts or presents from today. The presents will be donated to individuals and families who are in homeless or emergency accommodation services next year.

On Christmas Day, hundreds of people in Crosscare’s homeless and emergency accommodation services received gifts that were donated to the charity from the Pro Cathedral appeal this time last year. The gifts donated this week will be kept in storage for a year until next Christmas.

Crosscare also runs a family hub in Drumcondra - at the former Mater Dei Institute of Education campus. The Dublin diocese is leasing the building to Dublin City Council rent free, and the hub houses 50 families.

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The appeal for unwanted gifts or presents is taking place until the end of this week, and donated gifts can be left at the crib in the Pro Cathedral.

Michael McDonagh, Crosscare manager, said a food appeal over the month of December saw thousands of food items donated to the charity.

The Christmas food appeal was launched by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin at the start of the month. Mr McDonagh said the charity had distributed 10,000 food hampers to families and individuals in need by Christmas Eve thanks to public donations.