Liam Gallagher has partnered with a Dublin homeless charity to encourage people to donate warm winter clothing.
Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) – founded by local man Anthony Flynn, who is now a Dublin City councillor – works to find accommodation for those sleeping rough around the city.
The charity has teamed up with the often parka-clad former Oasis frontman before his two gigs at the 3 Arena at the end of November.
Gallagher’s “Part with your Parka” campaign encourages people to donate a warm coat or jacket to ICHH.
Anyone who donates a coat will be entered into a draw to win two VIP tickets to one of the shows at the 3 Arena and a meeting with the star.
#ICHH are delighted to partner up with @liamgallagher ahead of his 2 gigs in the point at the end of November.
Donate a parka/coat/jacket to us and you will be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to his show and a meet and greet with Liam himself
Thanks @liamgallagher pic.twitter.com/0AD5ztevwK
— ICHHDUBLIN (@ICHHDUBLIN) November 11, 2019
Speaking on Monday after the announcement, ICHH head of communications Brian McLoughlin said: “We are very thankful to Liam and his team for partnering up with us in ICHH ahead of his shows at the end of this month.
“They contacted us, they said they had done research on homeless charities anywhere they’re doing the UK and Ireland tour and asked us to partner up.
“When we got the email, I kind of second-guessed it at first, I thought it was a wind-up.
“Liam and his team are fully aware of the homelessness crisis in Ireland and want to do their bit by encouraging fans to donate a coat to us in ICHH in return for entering a draw to win a meet-and-greet and two tickets to Liam’s shows at the end of the month.
“We’ve already had a Liam Gallagher fan flying in from Japan who contacted us and said when he landed he would be bringing coats, so we’ve had good traction from it already.
“Winter has hit Ireland already with winter showers threatening the capital this week, so we are inundated with orders for warm clothes from the people we are assisting seven days a week on the streets of Dublin.
“The ICHH offices are open 10am-10pm Monday to Friday so people can come to our office on Amiens Street to donate the coat and they will be entered into the draw to win the fantastic prize.”
The draw will be made by Gallagher’s management team who will contact the winners.
Ireland is in the midst of the worst homelessness crisis in the history of the state, with Government figures saying 10,338 people are relying on emergency accommodation.
One in three homeless people is a child.
Campaigners and charities say the actual number is much higher and have criticised the Government’s figures which do not include those in women’s refuges, Direct Provision centres and rough sleepers.