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05 Oct 2025
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05 Oct 2025
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All smiles at the Trucking for Donegal fundraiser which took place in February
Trucking for Donegal has raised a total of €76,466 for Donegal charities.
Hundreds of lorries converged in Raphoe for the Trucking For Donegal fundraiser in February this year, and a major dance and fundraising auction was also held at the Clanree Hotel.
The money raised will go to Raphoe Community Playgroup and Donegal Hospice.
The lorry group is headed by experienced lorry driver Colin Kilpatrick from St Johnston. He chose to raise funds for the Raphoe Community Playgroup as it has been negatively affected by defective blocks.
Colin’s four sons have all benefited from the Raphoe Community Playgroup and his youngest boy still attends presently.
The playgroup, first set up in 1982, currently caters for 40 children, but that figure is expected to rise to 50 in the autumn. Last year, it was confirmed that the building on Castle Road, constructed in 2000 after a mammoth fundraising effort in the area, had defective concrete blocks.
With the playgroup classed as a commercial building, the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme does not cover it. Half of the children are now being catered for in the Volt House with the others in a prefabricated building at the playgroup site.
Colin said on the group’s social media: “The main reason we did the fundraiser was emergency funds for our local playgroup in which the building has been condemned for having defective blocks. But when I was asked to help I said I would but I want to give a percentage to Donegal Hospice as well to help them continue with the amazing work that they do. So we’ve agreed on 10% to the hospice which is €7647 and we will round it off to €8000.
“The support by local communities again has just blown us away. With a special thanks to all the hauliers that helped so much and gave so much.
“Anyone that helped in any way we want to thank you all.”
READ NEXT: Convoy woman's Easter chick plan hatches an egg-cellent €2,160 for Donegal Hospice
The group previously raised €117,000 for the Creeslough explosion fund. A total of 432 lorries took part in Trucking for Creeslough in 2023.
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