Brother and sister's keyring enterprise raises funds for Dun Laoghaire RNLI

A typical afternoon playing with Perler beads soon turned into a entrepreneurial one when Elijah and Caoimhe decided to make keyrings with the Perler beads and sell them at their school. The idea was that the money raised from selling the keyrings would then be donated to a charity.

Elijah and Caoimhe's mother Paula McGurdy, explained what prompted them to make the keyrings and raise the money for the RNLI:

‘We go to Dun Laoghaire quite frequently and have popped into the RNLI shop a couple of times. When I asked my children what charity would we make a donation to from selling the keyrings, Elijah was quick to suggest the RNLI, he loves watching the Saving our Lives at Sea documentary series on BBC1.’

The Ballinteer school was proactive and encouraging of Elijah and Caoimhe's project, allowing them to set up a table at lunch time to facilitate their worthy cause. They sold their keyrings for 2 to 4 euro each and managed to collect €124 before donating the funds to Dun Laoghaire RNLI.

Paula said: ‘It is important to instill in our children about giving back to the community in some shape or form.’

Accepting the donation, Stephen Wynne, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: 'This was a novel way to raise funds and extremely thoughtful and creative of both Elijah and Caoimhe. The funds raised will now go towards helping our volunteers at Dun Laoghaire RNLI to continue to do what they are trained and skilled for, to help save lives at sea.'

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Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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