Over 950 Volunteers from around the country will be participating in the Niall Mellon Township Trust Building Blitz taking place from 6th -13th November to Wallacedene, in Cape Town, South Africa.  The charity hopes to hand-over 75 new houses, a new school hall and a communal garden during the week of the Blitz.   Pupils from Loreto High School Beaufort, Rathfarnham, Dublin and Cashel Community School, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, will also participate in the Charity’s Building Blitz.  The charity is increasingly being approached by schools particularly those with a transition year programme, who want to get involved in its Building Blitz, to build homes for families living in appalling poverty in the townships.

“We are delighted and encouraged by the enthusiasm of these students who will be participating in our Building Blitz.  By volunteering to come out on our Blitz, these young people will see how they can bring about change in other people’s lives.  At the end of the week, the students will witness the keys of a home they have helped build, being handed over to a beneficiary family, which will serve as a life changing and transitional moment in their lives.  I have no doubt that the students will return from the Blitz, with a renewed appreciation of their own families and what they have at home.   This is a wonderful opportunity for these students and hopefully others who will get involved with our charity to become champions of change in the world around them,” said Niall Mellon, founder of the Niall Mellon Township Trust.

Niall Mellon added, “The pupils will be participating with other Volunteers from all walks of life and from every county in Ireland. This is a very demanding week of work, but also very rewarding for our Volunteers. Through our Volunteers fundraising and physical efforts, hundreds of children will get to live in a house for the first time in their lives and have a better and safer start in life.  The Building Blitz is a truly unique opportunity for the Volunteers to actively participate in the enhancement of the lives of people who have nothing”.

"The generosity and support of our Volunteers never ceases to amaze me.  Our wonderful Volunteers help us provide the vital funding required for our housing projects. The charity also currently employs 2,000 local trades’ people in South Africa.  The charity is working on 36 different housing projects in South Africa this year.  We are very thankful for our Volunteers and their efforts in helping to make the dream of owning a house a reality,” said Niall Mellon.
The Niall Mellon Township Trust in partnership with the South African and Irish Governments operate a year round housing building programme, providing homes for impoverished families living in the townships of South Africa. The charity has built 12,000 houses since its inception in 2002 and is now the largest charity provider of quality social housing in South Africa.  Each year the charity organises a house Building Blitz comprised of Volunteers who raise funds to travel to South Africa to build houses for families in the townships.  Over the last seven years, 8,500 Volunteers, 2,000 of which are South African have helped the charity bring about change and make a difference to the lives of thousands of South Africans.

For further information on the run please contact Karen Hession on 00353 1 4948200, information is also available on http://www.irishtownship.com