Iveagh calls for ‘Open Doors’

Aimed at raising £100,000, the drive will open the door to a brighter future for families in urgent need of a decent place to call home.

They want 1,000 people across the country to open their door and host an event in their home, school or office which will raise £100.

Jenny Williams, chief executive for Habitat NI, explains: “Open Doors is about evoking what ‘home’ means to people across Northern Ireland and motivating them to help families without one, especially at a time when we see heart-breaking images on the news of refugees fleeing their homes.

To underpin the campaign, Habitat NI’s new 60-second awareness-raising film shows viewers what it might be like to live in overcrowded conditions without the basic necessities of water and sanitation; a reality for 1.6 billion people in our world and it will be on view at Banbridge’s Iveagh Movie Studios.

Jenny continues: “We are really grateful that Giles Conlon, Iveagh Movie Studios, committed to help us launch the campaign and will show the short film for the next month. We are hopeful that many cinemagoers in Banbridge will commit to open their door.

“It’s is a fun way to support our work. Host an event such as inviting friends for coffee or a themed dinner party. Ask ten guests for a donation of £10 each, raise £100 and be elevated to ‘Habitat Hero’ status.”

Giles Conlon Centre Manager of Iveagh Movie Studios said: “I’m am lucky to be able to live and work in Banbridge, my hometown, and I’m delighted to support the Open Doors campaign by showing the film as part of the introduction to our main features. It’s a very powerful film and I hope audiences will be inspired to get involved in the campaign too.”

Last year alone, Habitat helped 3 million people improve their living conditions.