Three organisations are set for a windfall in March thanks to an innovative idea by the Transition Year students of Desmond College, Newcastle West.

The students who are undertaking the Young Social Innovator Programme in the school and as part of that, they have devised a campaign for the West Limerick charity Secret Millionaire.

The T.Y. students will be contacting all non profit making clubs, sports clubs and voluntary organisations in the West Limerick area to apply to Desmond College for consideration for a sum of money which they are in the process of raising. Desmond College has been joined by Newcastle West Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club in the initiative and they are supporting them with the fundraising activities. The idea is to target, small, start up and struggling voluntary groups, sports clubs and charitable organisations with a view to helping three of them with a considerable sum of money, anticipated to be in the region of €1,000 each.

The project and fundraising was launched in December by John Concannon from the television series Secret Millionaire. To date €1,000 has been raised while a target of in excess of €3,000 has been set.

“The plan is that the money will be divided equally in three between the successful applicants” explained Carol Liston, Young Social Innovator teacher at Desmond College.

A number of fundraising events are currently in train within the school. The students wrote a song entitled ‘I Need a Euro’ which they recorded on CD and is on sale at the school for €5 and is also available in shops around west Limerick.

The students will be happy to accept donations from groups and organisations who wish to contribute to the fund.

Application forms are available to download on www.wlsm.tk and are also available at the reception at Desmond College and the closing date for receipt of completed application is the first week of March. A judging panel comprising of representatives of the T.Y. students, staff members of Desmond College and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club will be established and will examine the applications and determine the three organisations most in need of assistance.