Belfast goes green to show its Concern

Although this time of year is traditionally associated with being ‘Wicked’ not nice, international development organisation Concern Worldwide is asking Belfast and beyond to embrace the brightest colour of the spooky season for a good cause.

Launched on Friday 17 October, the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Go Green to Show Your Concern campaign is hoping to make a positive impact to millions of lives around the world by inspiring green-themed events and challenges in schools, workplaces and in the community. These include glamming in up in green from head to toe, hosting a green afternoon tea, organising a ‘glow up in green’ lantern parade or a monster green-themed character party.

Jackie Trainor, NI Director of Concern Worldwide, said:

“Whatever you love to do you can turn your passion into purpose this autumn and do your thing in green to help families escape extreme poverty.

“This is traditionally a time of harvest, Halloween celebrations and looking forward to festive fun at Christmas. However, in the 26 countries where Concern works, right now there are millions of families who need food, shelter and hope. We are asking families in Belfast and right across NI to take on our Go Green challenge to support us or perhaps sacrifice a bag of sweets normally purchased for ‘trick and treating’ and instead donate £5 to Concern. That amount will provide a warm blanket for a displaced family living in a tent, or 30 sachets of life-saving therapeutic food for malnourished children.”

Supporting the campaign, Councillor Paul Doherty, Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, said:

“I’m proud to support the Go Green to Show Your Concern campaign with Concern Worldwide. No one should be living in poverty – no matter where they live in the world. When I helped make Belfast a Right to Food City, our message was simple – access to food must be a basic human right for all. That principle should apply everywhere – locally and globally.

Everyone deserves the right to live with dignity, free from hunger and hardship.

Adding his support broadcaster Robin Elliott, who is long-time supporter of Concern’s mission to end extreme poverty, said:

“I’m looking forward to taking on the Go Green challenge this autumn and will be hosting a Go Green Halloween monster bash in support. The trick will be choosing my costume – Shrek or the Grinch! Seriously though, it is important at this time of year to think about people and communities who face a daily struggle to simply survive. We can all make a difference and every £1 donated really helps.”

To sign up, make a donation or for more information, visit: concern.org.uk/gogreen