With a target of €80,000, Bohemian FC, MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland), Bang Bang café and DHL have launched their Direct Provision Christmas Gift Drive again. This target would cover the €30 cost of giving a Christmas present to every child living in the system in Ireland.

Dan Lambert is the organiser of the campaign where they are asking the public – wherever possible – to donate to the cause. The GoFundMe page reads: "Times have been really hard for everyone lately, the world seems more tragic and difficult than ever, but imagine you are a child in a Direct Provision Centre through all of this..."

In 2020, during covid, they managed to raise €60,000 and get gifts for almost 2000 children across the island. In 2021 they raised over €80,000 and managed even more last year.

With the target at  €80,000 again, they will then work with toy retailers and one-for-all to get gifts for all children.

Bohemian FC and Bang Bang are leading on the call-out for donations. The RDS, is then where all gifts will be sorted and packed, DHL Express Ireland has agreed once again to deliver the packages to the centres across Ireland. MASI is coordinating the list of children and on-the-ground contacts.

You can also drop gifts into Bang Bang or Bohemian FC in Phibsboro. They will only be accepting new and unwrapped gifts and unwrapped please they are unable to accept very large items or any second-hand items whatsoever.

You can donate to the Direct Provision Christmas Gift Drive here.