A new treasure at the centre of Mullingar

Recession-hit Pearse Street, Mullingar received a welcome breath of fresh air, when a new non-profit shop run by local charity volunteer Brian Fagan opened to receive stock from members of the public.Commerce on Mullingar"s main street has suffered from the closure of the Lake County, Dunnes Stores, Texas and Kilroy"s over the past eighteen months, but "Brian"s Treasure Chest", which opens at the former Kilroy"s premises at 4 Pearse Street, aims to wash away some of the recession blues - and all for the benefit of local causes.Owned by The Earth Project - a new Irish-based registered charity (no. 17228) which seeks to make a concerted effort against poverty, deforestation and climate change - the new second-hand goods shop will secure funding for their activities, as well as a number of charities in the Mullingar area."Brian"s Treasure Chest" will rely on the generosity of the people of Mullingar and beyond, who have been asked to bring all of their unwanted clothes, books, CDs, records and trinkets to the store, rather than to throw them onto a rubbish tip.If you"ve ever wanted to de-clutter your house, but never had an idea what you were going to do with the stuff you"ve hoarded for years, then this is the ideal time for you to shift it - and all for the good of local charities in Mullingar and north Westmeath.'Something like this is ideal during a recession,' Brian Fagan told the Westmeath Examiner. 'You"re giving people a chance to buy good quality books, clothes and other items at reasonable prices, while helping local charities and causes, which have been hit hard by funding cuts.'While Earth Project - and charities I have worked with before like Concern - will benefit from the shop"s proceeds, other charities in Mullingar will get most of it,' he said, remarking that even in rural towns like Mullingar, homelessness and poverty will become serious problems during the economic downturn. "Brian"s Treasure Chest" opened its doors to take in stock on Monday last, February 9, and is the culmination of months of planning, which in turn followed on from an idea Brian had a number of years ago.'I had been thinking of opening a charity shop in town for a few years, and then my cousin Patsy [Fagan] and Pat Coughlan took over the Kilroy"s premises. They asked me if I"d like to do something with it,' Brian said.'So I decided to go ahead with it, and I hope to help bring a bit of business back to the centre of the town.'We"re looking for anything that members of the public can give, be it CDs, books, records, clothes or unwanted gifts, and as long as the items are in good condition, we"ll be prepared to take them,' he added. Brian has already recruited the assistance of between six and twelve volunteers, who will help him with the running of the new store, which takes up the front section of the former Kilroy"s premises.'We"ve already had a huge level of interest,' the Mullingar man said. 'We"ve had dozens of calls, with people either ready to give us some stuff to sell, or to help us out in other ways.'To attract buyers seeking bargains, Brian will run a number of offers. One such offer could see you secure five books, from a variety of genres, for just €10.Brian and his fellow Earth Project volunteers have plans to expand the remit of the shop"s inventory to include other items. The store will take payment in any currency, and Brian guarantees that his staff will exchange any sterling, foreign currencies and even Irish punts you may have into credit.Brian has been involved in a number of different charities and initiatives over the years. A former aid worker in war-torn Yugoslavia, he became involved with the Romanian Children"s Trust in 1995, and Irish charities Concern and GOAL in 1998 and 2001. He has also worked with the Simon Community and other smaller agencies.But in recent years, voracious reading and research into environmental issues has informed much of his current world view, leading him ever increasingly in the direction of green issues. The end result of this is The Earth Project.For more details, Brian Fagan may be contacted on (087) 7985889, or e-mail brianfagan@yahoo.com. All donations to the Earth Project - be they financial, or in the form of saleable goods - may be made at the shop on Pearse Street.