Westmeath"s Niall Mellon crew doubles for 2008

With Ireland"s recession starting to kick in, it"s becoming difficult for the growing number of Niall Mellon Township Trust (NMTT) volunteers to gather funding for the annual trip to South Africa.The north Westmeath contingent has grown to nearly 50 this year, and in late November, they"ll need to have in place all of their funds - over €4,000 apiece - as they set out to build 250 houses for some of the poorest residents of the Khayelitsha township in Cape Town, South Africa.The Niall Mellon Township Trust 'Building Blitz' has become hugely popular since it began six years ago, and this year, there has been an unprecedented growth in the number of volunteers - despite the intensifying downturn in the construction industry.Most of the Westmeath volunteers preparing for the challenge are in some way involved in construction, be they blocklayers, labourers, carpenters, plasterers, plumbers, electricians etc.They form part of what is expected to be a 2,000-strong building contingent which will participate in the 2008 'Building Blitz'. Last November, over 200 houses were built in one week with the help of 1,380 volunteers, so the number of houses put together this year is expected to rise.The Township Trust began in 2002 after Irish property developer Niall Mellon witnessed first-hand the conditions of the slums in Cape Town, with shack dwellers living in some of the most appalling circumstances.Mr. Mellon made it his personal mission to contribute to easing the housing crisis in the southern African country, and to erase shacks and slums from the South African landscape.In addition to the hugely successful annual building blitz, the Township Trust also employs hundreds of construction workers from the South African townships in which they operate.The Irish volunteers, including those from north Westmeath, have been tasked with raising a minimum of €4,000 to take part in the Niall Mellon Township Challenge. This substantial sum of money covers the volunteers for their building materials and supplies, with half set aside for their flight and accommodation.In all, the Westmeath crew is set to raise over €200,000 between them, and this is no mean feat when you consider that they"re raising the funds in a small county, during difficult economic times.Mullingar man Christy Corroon, who is making his third trip to South Africa this year, remembers when he was the only volunteer from Mullingar.'Now there"s a fair handful of us, and it makes it a little bit harder for us to raise the money. But people are very generous, and I"m looking forward to another week of building,' Christy told the Westmeath Examiner.Christy is joined by a huge town contingent, which includes well known Mullingar estate agent Aidan Davitt of Sherry Fitzgerald Davitt and Davitt.In mid-August, Aidan held a terrifically successful fundraiser in Mount Street"s Spin nightclub, with fellow Mullingar men Ciaran McKenna and Rodney Martin sharing the funds.Carpenters Rodney and Ciaran are making their second trip to South Africa, while Knockdrin electrian Ollie Plunkett and Clonlost builder John P. Scally will also spend a week serving the people of the Khayletisha township.Plastering contractor Michael Feeney, a native of Co. Mayo and now a resident of Mullingar, made his first trip to South Africa last year, saying that his 'social conscience' drove him to 'give something back' to those less fortunate. He loved the initial experience, and didn"t think twice about signing up for a second trip.Also heading for South Africa from the Mullingar area are Aidan Kenny, a highly respected member of An Garda Siochána based in the town; Ollie Egan, one of a number of electricians making up the Westmeath crew; Joseph Duncan, sales manager at Genesis Fine Arts; Matthew Whelehan, a site foreman and father of two from Richdale Court, Mullingar; Kevin Whelan, CEO of Irish Autism Action; Mullingar-based court probation officer, Tom Ryder; Martin Gavigan, a carpenter and farmer based in Cloughan, Mullingar; Ballinderry carpenter David Connolly; Peter Dunleavy, an electrician from Ashfield, Mullingar; carpenter/nurse Sean McGrath, a Turin native who now lives at Durrow, outside Kilbeggan; and Cullion"s Brendan Early.Stephen Moughty, a landscaper, will fly the flag for Ballynacargy in South Africa at the end of next month, making his second trip with the Niall Mellon crew.Delvin duo Noelle Fox and Peter Ledwith are also on the Westmeath roster. Noelle, who works with the Department of Agriculture and Food, is making her first trip, while Peter, an electrician from 'the Valley', is heading to South Africa for a second time.In August, Noelle and Peter joined forces to organise a fundraiser with a difference - a hugely successful balloon race, as well as a recent fun day. The balloon raced raised a few eyebrows a couple of weeks ago when the winning balloon was discovered in Lancashire, England!Further down the N52 in Clonmellon are bricklayer, Leon O"Farrell and local farmer, John Sheridan, both of whom are joining the Niall Mellon Township Trust for a second time. Leon will be accompanied by his wife Michelle for the building blitz.They have benefited from some very successful fundraisers in the village over the past few months, and the same is true for local man Ciaran Reilly, who will take part in the March 2009 building blitz.They are not alone in north Westmeath; Castletown-Finea electrician Dermot Hennessy loved his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa so much that he"s relishing the prospect of another 'Building Blitz'. He will be joined by brothers Trevor and Damien Nolan from Coole. Trevor is a plumber by trade, while Damien - who works with north Westmeath engineering and planning consultants Fore Enterprises - will add further experience to the team.Milltownpass will be represented by father and son team John Joe and Paul Brady, while in Rochfortbridge, John Hanlon - an electrician who is married with three children - will make his second trip to the South African townships.'We had some rough weather last year; there was lots of wind and plenty of dust flying around, making it difficult to work at the best of times,' John said. 'But it made no difference, and we all enjoyed the banter and the teamwork.'Ballymore duo David Rooney and Ollie Dooner, like all of their colleagues, are still very much in fundraising mode. Their next big social night takes place in Cunningham"s, Ballymore on November 8, with music, a raffle and plenty of craic on the agenda.David - who went to South Africa with his brother Stephen last year - works as an electrician, while Ollie is employed by Westmeath County Council.Kilbeggan blocklayer Aidan Reid, who is about to embark on a Niall Mellon mission for the fifth time, has become an inspiration to volunteers in his catchment area - recruiting a team of seven from Kilbeggan, Tyrrellspass and Horseleap.Aidan will be joined by Frank Groome, a plumber from New Forest, Tyrrellspass who will be accompanied by his wife, Catherine; Tyrrellspass girl Maura Maher; Brendan Nannery, a plumber and well-known St. Joseph"s and Westmeath footballer from Horseleap; Horseleap carpenter, Michael Grennan; Tyrrellspass blocklayer Richard Tormey, and Kilbeggan carpenter Seamus Finnegan.From Rosemount, Shay Loddick - a carpenter with Owens" Concrete at Knockdrin, Mullingar - has assembled a crew to take on the Township Challenge. These include brothers Kevin and James Buckley, a carpenter and electrician respectively; Rosemount girl Anita Kelly, a dental nurse;Kilbeggan native Terence Hennessy, who is a doctor based in Ennis, Co. Clare, and Dublin-based Mullingar man Ken Daly are among the Westmeath natives living outside of the county who will make the trip to South Africa.NOTE: If any more Westmeath Niall Mellon volunteers out there would like some publicity for the final stages of their fundraising campaign, please contact me on phughes@westmeathexaminer.ie with your details.For more details on how to donate to the volunteers or the Niall Mellon Township Trust, visitwww.irishtownship.com.