Huge support for Go Purple Day initiative
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Superintendent Michelle Baker from Athlone Garda Station was joined by Garda Stacey Looby and Garda John Hickey for Go Purple Day on Friday last.Image 2 of 3
Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Frankie Keena, was joined by members of the emergency services including the local Fire Service, RNLI and the National Ambulance Service in Burgess Park to show their support for An Garda Siochana’s Go Purple Day.Image 3 of 3
Members of the Air Corps are pictured at Custume Barracks in Athlone with Garda John Hickey and Garda Stacey Looby to show their support for Go Purple Day.Purple was the ‘on trend’ colour in Athlone, and right across the country throughout the day on Friday last, April 29, when An Garda Siochána and Safe Ireland collaborated on their national “Go Purple” awareness campaign to highlight the issue of domestic violence.
The initiative was first piloted in 2019 as a local initiative by Garda Stacey Looby, who is a native of Banagher and is currently based in Athlone Garda Station. The event was such a success in raising awareness about domestic violence that it has been rolled out across the country this year, with a huge number of local organisations joining forces in support of the campaign.
In Athlone, where Garda Looby is now stationed after spending 11 years in Navan, the Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Councl, Cllr Frankie Keena, lent his support to the initiative along with members of the National Ambulance Service, the Air Corps and the RNLI, among others.
Garda Looby’s colleagues from Athlone Garda Station, including Supt Michelle Baker, were also on hand to support the event, as were Gardai from Mullingar Garda Station.
From humble beginnings last year, this year’s ‘Go Purple Day’ has been rolled out across the country, and also received the backing of Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, who officially launched the 2022 awareness campaign last month. As part of the ‘Go Purple Day’ initiative, Safe Ireland and An Garda Siochána called on people to show support for victims of domestic violence by going purple at home, in the workplace or the community, and in turn to donate to their local domestic violence support service.
Esker House Women’s Refuge Centre in Athlone and Men’s Aid are the recipents of the donations which were made to last week’s “Go Purple Day” locally and donations can be made here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11430731_go-purple-day-2022.html until June 29 next.