First grant from Noah Donohoe Foundation given to Community Rescue Service

By Q Radio news

The first grant from the Noah Donohoe Foundation has been given to the Community Rescue Service whose volunteers helped look for the missing 14 year old Belfast schoolboy.

Noah's mum Fiona Donohoe said she hoped the £3,000 would help the team to "continue to do their wonderful and very difficult work".

In the week that marks one year since Noah went missing, Fiona made the first of a series of donations from the Noah Donohoe Fund, which she has opened in memory of the teen.

Fiona, who has committed to keeping Noah’s memory alive, this week met with and presented a donation to the Search and Rescue team who helped search for Noah during the 6 days he was missing, to thank them for their support.

(Sean McCarry of the Community Rescue Service)

Fiona further announced the allocation of monies to 3 other local organisations. They are: St James Swift Football Club; Sandy Row Football Club 
and St Malachy's College Music Dept.

This initial round of funding grants will provide support to groups in Belfast across music and sport, two areas which Noah was very passionate about during his life.

Further grants will be made available to groups who wish to undertake works to benefit their local communities in these areas of interest.

(Fiona Donohoe and her son Noah)

Making the first grant to the Search and Rescue team, Fiona Donohoe, mother of Noah said;

“Loosing Noah has been hugely difficult for my family and I, and every day we think of him and his amazing young life’s achievements.

I will be forever grateful to the hundreds of people who joined with the Search and Rescue team during the 6 days we searched for Noah and this donation will help them continue to do their wonderful and very difficult work.

I know Noah would have wanted this as a thank you too, it was the kind of boy he was – very kind and generous of spirit.

“In creating this foundation in Noah’s memory, I want to support children from all communities across Northern Ireland in as many diverse ways as possible.

As Noah taught me in his short life, there is no limit to what any child can achieve given the right opportunity. Noah crammed so much into his life, and his passion for arts, sports and learning will live on through this foundation.

It helps me immensely knowing Noah’s legacy and presence is making impact for other young people locally,” Fiona added.

Commenting on the grants being announced from the Noah Donohoe Fund, Siofra Healey, Director of Development with the Community Foundation, said:

“We were really pleased to be able to help Fiona and her family organising this fund in memory of Noah who was clearly a very special young boy and much loved son.

This fund embraces Noah’s many academic, sporting and artistic talents alongside his huge generosity of spirit. This same generosity of spirit was so evident from the community of North Belfast to Fiona and her family in the search which ensued in the difficult days after Noah went missing.

In the autumn it was announced that Fiona has set up the Noah Foundation in his memory, and this week the fund has made its
first award.

For more information on the fund, visit www.communityfoundationni.org/noahdonohoe.