Foscadh Housing today announced it has been awarded €27,326 from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal by the Community Foundation for Ireland.

Foscadh Housing will use the funding to support the development of its program for the Loving Life Choir, the children’s community choir initiative it established in 2019.

Foscadh Housing CEO Ken O Heiligh said the grant would make a big impact on the lives of the choir’s youth members.

“The funding will help to build the children’s skills in performance, communication and self-expression while also showing them what is possible through their exposure to the creative arts,” he said.

“Thanks to the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, we are one step closer to achieving our goal of firmly establishing the Loving Life Choir as a positive pathway that provides children the confidence, skills and inspiration to achieve their future ambitions.”

Foscadh Housing plans to use the grant monies to appoint a permanent choir director to provide Loving Life members with stability and continuity of leadership.

Funding will also provide choir members with support from a drama choreographer to develop their skills in self-expression and performance.

Choir members will also benefit from excursions to creative performances such as musical theatre.

Foscadh Housing launched the Loving Life Choir in response to the impact of violent crime in Drogheda.
Choir membership is free and provides children with a safe, inclusive and supportive environment to make new friends, develop their confidence and express themselves freely.

The Loving Life Choir has won two national awards for community integration, delivered a number of public performances, and has appeared on RTÉ radio and television, including the Late Late Toy Show in 2021.

The choir was also awarded funding from the Housing Finance Association in 2020 to write and produce an original song about members’ experiences of the pandemic and associated lockdowns.

The choir’s song, titled “Another Day” was launched in December 2021. It is now available on Youtube.

About RTÉ Toy Show Appeal

Inspired by children, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal works to bring the magic of the Late Late Toy Show to every child in Ireland. By funding essential support, health, well-being, play and creativity we aim to change children’s lives for good.

The donations to the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, are received and managed by registered charity, The Community Foundation for Ireland with whom we work in partnership. For more information about The Community Foundation for Ireland, please see here: About Us | The Community Foundation Given the level of public support for the Appeal, and with the ambition to help even more children, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal will return for a third year and will be a part of the Late Late Toy Show on Friday 25th November 2022.