Trust Fund celebrating 50 years of care-giving

Primarily known for its work in organising trips to Lourdes, a range of quiet good works goes on daily to help bring relief and help to those who need it, and particularly to dialysis patients at home and abroad.

The group was formed five decades ago by Dessie Dillon, a well-known musician from the city, who has since died. His wife, Anna Dillon, from Ballyarnett, who runs the Trust Fund with a small but dedicated committee, recalled how she had discovered her husband was doing charity work as an extension of his music.

“Dessie played in different places and met lot of people. And people talked to him about their relatives and friends and I discovered that he had been fundraising by himself, unknown to me, by giving concerts and playing in bars, and through that he would have given money to charity. There were situations where mothers would have spoken to him about their child being sick and he would have given them money to go to Lourdes,” she said.

“It isn’t only the Catholic people that benefitted from the charity work, it was a lot of people from all walks of life. You see, Dessie was very well known for hs music and for his charity work and it was through him doing these things that the group, the Trust Fund, started,” said Anna.

“When we were younger we would have taken groups of up to 250 away to Lourdes for a visit. They were a mixed group of both Catholic and Protestant people, and there were other nationalities from the city too.

“One year we had an Indian clergyman who ran an orphanage in India for disabled children. He was introduced to us because he was a very bad diabetic,” said Anna, continuing: “Over the years we have fundraised for a dialysis machine for Bartrese Dialysis Unit in France so that dialysis patients here and patients from across the world can travel to Lourdes too, and get their dialysis treatment there too.”

Ongoing fundraising work is vital to the group, as they plan to celebrate their anniversary year with the purchase of new dialysis machinery for Bartrese.

Mary McDevitt, the renal unit manager at Altnagelvin, explained how the Trust Fund is a beacon of hope for dialysis patients.

“Since 2006 the Derry Londonderry Trust Fund has been paying for 12 patients from Altnagelvin Renal Unit to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Through regular fundraising events and donations from the people of Derry City they have been able to purchase and maintain a dialysis machine to enable patients to have their dialysis treatment while they are st St Jean le Baptiste Dialysis Unit.

“The Trust Fund members are currently in the process of purchasing another dialysis machine to facilitate more pilgrimage patients. Their hard work is greatly appreciated by the dialysis patients who attend Altnagelvin Renal Unit as it gives them an opportunity to go to Lourdes, which they would not otherwise be able to do. This enhances the patient’s quality of life and all the patients who have travelled to Lourdes with Derry Londonderry trust Fund have benefitted greatly. We look forward to continuing this positive relationship in the future,” Ms McDevitt said.

That sentiment is reinforced by Anna, who said that the work the Trust Fund undertakes helps people from all over the world.

“The people of Derry are known for their generosity even with simple things like knitting for us. We do blankets for patients too, and we have bought wheelchairs for people to use while in Lourdes and among our regular fundraising events we have dinners, car boot sales, sponsored runs and walks, one day shops, sales, teas and we always welcome donations. We have had five wheelchairs donated to us by sisters Betty Curran and Mary Jackson. All of it helps people and we find that those whom we help often have family members to stay in touch with us and even get involved themselves,” she said.

Anyone who would like to help the group raise money to secure a new dialysis machine can contact Anna on 028 7141 8927 or Elizabeth Zammett on 028 7121 9174.

The Lourdes trips are open to all people from all denominations and each fare is £650. This year the Trust Fund paid for 16 fares as well as supporting the dialysis unit in France.

One of the next big fundraisers planned is an auction and supper in January and the Trust Fund members have asked for support.

Anyone with queries or offers of support can contact the committee and managers: Anna Dillon, organiser; Maureen Hegarty, administration secretary; Elizabeth Zammett, head fundraiser; Denis McNulty, support worker; Carolann Dillon, nursing auxiliary; Charlotte Baddington, nursing administrator; Rev Fr Ed McGuinness, chaplain; Martin McDonald, chaplain, Gertrude McGroarty, treasurer and Bridie O’Donnell, nurse officer.

“We are open to absolutely anybody that would like help and we want to thank everyone who has given us support throughout the years we have been in operation and we look forward to our anniversary visit to France this year. This year, in view of it being our 50th anniversary year, we are hoping to take 50 people to Lourdes. It will take a lot of work, but I have no doubt that we will do it,” said Anna.

“People are very, very good and it is amazing the amount of people from one end of the district to the other, from Strabane right across the county, who stay in touch and get involved and we look forward to helping people from across the district from every nationality,” she said.