From Offaly to Kosovo

WOP staff sends 'Living Gifts' to Bothar

Jimmy corrigan is well know in the wider ESB and community circles of the Midlands. For a long time he has been to the forefront of many charity schemes in which he helps initiatives get off the ground. One such initiative began in 2004 with the closing of the old Shannonbridge power station and the use of the new peat plant, West Offaly Power. Jimmy felt it was time to give something back. He felt that the feel good factor which was circulating could be channelled into an effort to help the less fortunate in other countries and he turned his thoughts to the plight of the people of Kosovo, whose lives had been ripped asunder by war.

Prior to the war in the Balkan states about 80% of the population were involved in farming. Following the civil war in 1999, up to 70% of the inhabitants became refugees and were forced to flee their homes and livelihoods. When many finally felt safe enough to return they found their homes and farms plundered and destroyed beyond repair.

Bothar, the Irish Development Aid agency, provides povertystricken families with the means to increase their quality of life permanently by providing families with a farm animal or animals together with support or training enabling them to obtain a permanent and better future. In Kosovo, part of Bothar's intermedial effort was to help in the restock Kosovo's livestock.

Jimmy Corrigan, like his colleagues, had seen many harrowing images of farmers in Kosovo trying to get their lives back together in what appeared a nearly impossible situation. All the ESB staff and management at WOP joined in the initiative with an initial €7K being collected. With this donation they were able to purchase 14 heifers and with the assistance of the Moate Bothar Group and five of the WOP staff they were able to keep them for a year before shipping them out to Kosovo. Five more heifers were purchased in 2005 and departed for Kosovo in November 2006.

Now some of the group are considering a sponsored walk in the Yorkshire Dales to further assist the work of Bothar. To take part in the walk each group of three have to raise €6K. All sponsorship is welcome by the staff at WOP should you wish to contribute.