Ballymahon author hopes to reach €50,000 for charity with children’s book series

Operation Blue Light Santa is returning this Christmas for its fifth year running, with a new children’s book to be sold in aid of Longford Westmeath Down Syndrome, and national children’s charity, the Little Blue Heroes Foundation, which is supported by An Garda Síochána.

This year’s book, Operation Blue Light Snowdown, will be launched locally on Sunday, November 30, as part of the Longford Town Christmas on the Square event. The team will have a stall at Pig Market Lane, where books can be purchased.

Author Jessica Thompson, the creator of the previous four books, returns this year with the latest in the series, which is beautifully illustrated by local artist and graphic designer, Christina Logan.

The Operation Blue Santa programme was founded in 2021, with the support of the Longford Community Policing Unit, as a way to raise funds for children’s charities in the lead-up to Christmas. So far, the Blue Santa team has raised in excess of €40,000, and hope to break the €50,000 mark in 2025.

This year’s book, Operation Blue Light Snowdown aims to teach children the importance of road safety, and features the Community Policing Unit, highlighting the good work that is done by community gardaí through positive engagement every day.

Operation Blue Light Snowdown stars Zip, a speedy little elf who creates Christmas chaos in the North Pole as he speeds around on his candy cane sled.

It’s the Community Policing Unit, with the help of this year’s Little Blue Hero Aoife and her trusty sidekick, Goose, who eventually catch the speedy elf and teach him how to be safe on the road.

The previous four Blue Light Santa books have delivered important messages over the years. Operation Blue Santa (book one) for example, encourages children to be kind to one another and highlights the effects of bullying.

The books also teach children to ask for help when they’re feeling sad or lost, and to always be aware that other people might be facing unknown struggles.

This year’s book is funded by the Longford Community Safety Partnership, who have been supporters of Operation Blue Light Santa for a number of years.

For updates on the publication and sale of Operation Blue Light Snowdown, or to arrange purchase of any of the previous four books, contact @BlueLightSanta on Instagram or Facebook.

The book is €10, and all proceeds will go towards the Little Blue Heroes Foundation and Longford Westmeath Down Syndrome.