Haven hailed for heroic Haiti work
The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Mary Shields. Photo: Billy MacGill
TRIBUTES have been paid to an Irish charity that has helped transform the lives of poverty-hit families in Haiti.
Haven, founded by Irish businessman Leslie Buckley, has worked to provide decent housing and services for people in the Caribbean island left traumatised by the massive earthquake there on January 12, 2010.
Over 217,300 people were killed and 2.1 million were left homeless by the quake.
The charity caught the imagination of the Irish public with its aim of providing decent housing for Haitians - and to help them to rebuild their lives.
Tributes were paid to Haven volunteers and to Mr Buckley at a special fund-raising luncheon yesterday in the Imperial Hotel, Cork.
Among those in attendance were Newstalk broadcaster and Haven volunteer George Hook, RTE broadcaster Alf McCarthy, Judge Olann Kelleher, businessman Ben Dunne, Munster and All Black rugby star Doug Howlett and hotelier John Brennan.
Mr Buckley is chairman of Independent News & Media.
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