By 
FOR the second year in a row, the annual ‘Crib Festival’ at Tattysallagh will be held online due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Last year, the virtual version received a “great response” from the public, according to organiser retired teacher Babs Barrett.
Donations go to the Mellon Educate charity, that organises new and renovated building infrastructure and educational programmes in poor communities in South Africa.
The cribs have been collected around the world by Ms Barrett.
Last year, the ‘Crib Festival’ raised £9,216. This impressive amount went towards supporting the impoverished children in the townships of Cape Town.
Ms Barrett said, “Despite the difficult and challenging circumstances resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Mellon Educate Food Distribution Project has managed to ensure that vulnerable children and their families received food parcels, face masks and hand sanitisers to see them through this period.
“Although no Irish volunteers were involved last year, 40 per-cent of the planned 2020 Building Blitz project was completed at Wesbank Primary School with the official handover in February. This would not have been possible in these challenging times without the generosity and support of so many to this worthy cause. We offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
“A donation to Mellon Educate, would be greatly appreciated, and it will make a huge difference to the lives of South Africa’s poverty-stricken families.”
l For more information, check out the Facebook page, Tattysallagh Crib Festival.
l Donations can be made by logging onto https://justgiving.com/fundraisinghelen-barrett22.