Actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador credits Aer Lingus guests and employees for outstanding ‘Change for Good’ fundraising programme
Dublin, 24 January 2018 – Aer Lingus cabin crew recently received the ultimate recognition for their on-board fundraising achievements from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson at a private event in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin.
Actor Liam Neeson, an Ambassador for the global child rights organisation since 1997, spent the afternoon with seven Aer Lingus cabin crew, named as UNICEF Ambassadors, thanking them for their work in raising €1 million for UNICEF in 2017 through the airline’s ‘Change for Good’ initiative.
In a special video message released today, Mr. Neeson explains:
“This year alone Aer Lingus raised €1 million, helping children through on-board donations for war-torn Syria as well as Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, which were ravaged by famine and most-recently children displaced by the Rohingya crisis who had to flee their homes in Myanmar.
“A special thanks to all Aer Lingus guests. It’s with thanks to your generous donations UNICEF has been able to make a big difference to change children’s lives for the better.”
‘Change for Good’ is Aer Lingus cabin crew’s in-flight collection of unwanted foreign notes and coins on all long-haul flights, which supports UNICEF’s global mission for children in over 150 of the world’s poorest countries and territories. Since 1997, UNICEF has received €21 million from Aer Lingus for vulnerable children everywhere.
UNICEF Ambassador and Aer Lingus cabin crew member Sandra Sheehan commented:
“We at Aer Lingus are extremely proud of our work with UNICEF. Spending time with Liam Neeson, sharing our pictures and experiences and discussing the importance of our work was a very special moment for us all. His role as a global UNICEF ambassador is inspirational. He has seen first-hand from his field-trips the positive impact that the loose change and notes that we collect on-board Aer Lingus flights can have on the lives of children worldwide.”
“On behalf of Aer Lingus cabin crew and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, I would like to thank every single Aer Lingus guest who has donated to us on-board. We look forward to continuing our relationship with UNICEF in 2018 and are committed to helping create a safer, better environment for children worldwide.”
As part of the Aer Lingus TakeOff Foundation, Aer Lingus supports UNICEF Ireland as a charity partner. In February 2018, Aer Lingus UNICEF Ambassadors will travel to India, visiting Delhi, Agra and Firozabad, and will meet and work with UNICEF representatives on the ground in the Uttar Pradesh region.
For further information, visit www.aerlingus.com/about-us/takeoff-foundation.
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Media contacts:
Tabitha Bourke-Cooney – 087 683 1582
Orlaith Shinnick – 087 741 1536
Notes to Editor:
About the Aer Lingus TakeOff Foundation
The Aer Lingus TakeOff Foundation is the overarching corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme for Aer Lingus, which encompasses all Aer Lingus charity and corporate social responsibility activities. This includes continued work with chosen charity partners, UNICEF Ireland and Special Olympics Ireland, as well as a number of charity initiatives undertaken by Aer Lingus staff and volunteers. The TakeOff Foundation also supports small and medium sized enterprises in Ireland, in addition to Irish culture and the Arts through the Aer Lingus Irish Filmmaker Competition.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is present across 190 countries and territories working for every child and building a better world for everyone. UNICEF fights to ensure children’s rights are upheld, providing healthcare, clean water, nutrition, education, child protection and emergency relief. In Ireland the organisation’s global efforts are supported through fundraising, advocacy and education programmes. UNICEF is mandated by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and holds the international community to account for its promises to children. For more information visit www.unicef.ie
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