Homelessness charity Galway Simon Community is deeply concerned about the number of children and families experiencing homelessness in the west of Ireland this winter.

Following on from September’s national homelessness figures, we are experiencing record numbers.

This Christmas more than 100 families including 220 children will spend their time in Emergency Accommodation in Mayo, Galway and Roscommon alone.

The Galway Simon Community has launched an urgent appeal ahead of Christmas which asks people to support them and prevent the further trauma of homelessness for these families.

Last year, they helped 214 families with 450 children to prevent them from becoming homeless and the charity reports that the number of families looking for help is continuing to increase.

This year’s campaign tells the story of a man named Eoin who lost his home and access to his children having struggled for much of his adult life with addiction, and turned to the Galway Simon Community.

Fintan Maher, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Galway Simon Community, has been giving more information on the appeal to Midwest Radio’s Rian Bailey: