The Christmas Eve "Big Busk" event is coming back to the streets of Dublin for the first time in 3 years, it has been confirmed.
Last year, this event was showcased online due to the pandemic.
In aid of the Simon Community, this event has become a hugely important element to the festive calender for Dubliners, and has featured several high profile names including Sinead O'Connor, Bono, Hozier, Imelda May and others.
Other events including the Carolathon and Sing for Simon have also been organised, to ensure that the Dublin Simon Community reach their fundraising target.
The event begins with Sing for Simon on the steps of the Powerscourt Townhouse centre at 5-30pm.
Curtis Walsh, Aimée, Séamus Harty, Taylor D, Wild Youth, Kenan Flannery, Georgia G, Terence Browne, Sophia Doyle Ryder, Lucan Gospel Choir and Lilliana are to perform at this event.
Join us for a magical evening at the Sing for Simon launch tomorrow at Powerscourt Townhouse Centre from 5.30pm - 7.30pm pic.twitter.com/UnZRyLf47J
— Dublin Simon (@Dublin_Simon) December 7, 2022
This is a welcome boost to the charity, as that last few years has seen a noticeable increase in the number of eviction notices.
Project worker for the Simon Community, Adam O'Reilly also had this to say.
“Our prevention services have seen a significant increase in calls from older people, many of whom may have lived at their property for 20 years or more, paying a low rent which they can cover with their pensions", he said.
“What’s happening now is many landlords are either selling or passing properties down to children, which is upending a lot of these long-standing tenancies".
“Our older clients are particularly afraid because they can’t afford to pay 2022 rent rates or if they can, might not have the knowledge necessary to compete with younger people vying for the same property".
Catherine Kenny, the CEO for the Simon Community described the figures for homeless people in this country as "scandalous".
“We are putting everything we can into moving people out of homelessness and keeping them in their homes where they belong, but we need all the help we can get", she said.
“For the sixth month in a row, we have reached the scandalous milestone of the highest number of people ever recorded in homelessness in the capital. The figure stands at 11,397 people in emergency accommodation".
She also added, “Among this group is a growing cohort of older people presenting to emergency accommodation services. In the last 12 months, the number of people aged 65 and older residing in emergency accommodation has grown by 39pc".
