TRÓCAIRE has thanked the public in Belfast for ‘50 years of giving’ as the organisation launched its life-changing Christmas Gifts of Change.

Launching the annual range of sustainable and ethical gifts, Trócaire’s Head of Region for NI, Peter Heaney, said: "This year marks Trócaire’s 50th anniversary and in the time since our formation the people in Belfast and across Northern Ireland have been open-handed in their generosity and support for our work in some of the world’s most fragile countries. One of the ways this generosity has manifested itself is the support we receive for our annual Gifts of Change campaign. Over one million life-changing gifts have been purchased by the public in Ireland, north and south, since we launched the initiative in 2000.

"The horrific situation in Gaza is obviously front of mind for many people at the moment and we have two gifts that will help families caught up in conflict this year. The Gift of Family Essentials (£30) will bring vital comfort to children and families caught up in conflict in countries like Gaza, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Ukraine. This gift will provide families with survival kits, emergency dignity kits and food baskets. It will make all the difference to a family who have lost everything this Christmas. The Mental Health Lifeline Gift (£40) also provides women and children in Gaza access to vital mental health care.

"For those looking for something that will help the planet this Christmas, Trócaire has a range of climate gifts. The Gift of Seeds and Tools (£10) provides families with everything they need to plant, tend and grow healthy, nutritious, fresh fruit and vegetables. A new Protection from Climate Change Gift (£85) will help struggling families respond to the effects of extreme weather by providing drought-resistant seeds, equipment to store limited rainfall and trees that help to reduce flooding and enrich the soil. This is the ideal gift to help restore hope and justice for families and communities who have been devastated by climate change.

"This Christmas, you can also support women and girls worldwide. Gifts for women include the Gift of Menstrual Dignity (£10) to provide girls with supplies for a safe and hygienic period, and a Women’s Empowerment Gift (£85) which helps set up women-led savings and loans groups to support local women to set up their own businesses," said Peter Heaney.

In 2022/2023, Trócaire improved the lives of 1.58 million people in 23 of the most fragile countries in the world, thanks to the generous support of the public here at home. This included supporting over 1.1 million people in humanitarian crises, 88,646 people to fight for access to justice in Central America, Palestine and Zimbabwe and 232,139 women and girls through empowerment programmes in fifteen countries. Last year, Trócaire’s climate and environmental justice work supported 278,082 people in nine countries.

With 22 gifts to choose from, ranging from £5 to £1,400, each Trócaire gift will support critical work across the where Trócaire works. The gifts can be purchased online at www.trocaire.org/gifts or by calling 0800 912 1200.