Students pack food parcels to support pets in need
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Niamh McAleenan-McQuade and Clare Reilly, students at Sacred Heart Grammar School in Newry, Northern Ireland, volunteer weekly at the USPCA centre to pack food parcels for pets.
The girls have prepared thousands of parcels since beginning their work, initially sorting food donations into three-day bags destined for over 50 foodbanks. Their volunteering expanded to include grooming animals at the centre, offering care to creatures ranging in size from Bernese Mountain Dogs to Cockapoos.
The USPCA and the school collaborated to create the volunteer scheme, which has engaged around 30 students over the past four years. Jill McBurney, the volunteer co-ordinator at the USPCA, explained that the girls’ efforts make a tremendous difference, helping people keep their pets at home even when facing hardship. She noted the organisation saw instances during the Covid-19 pandemic where people prioritised feeding their animals over themselves.
Niamh and Clare have been nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award in the Animal category, alongside other individuals and animals making positive contributions to animal welfare in Northern Ireland. The overall winners will be announced on BBC Radio Ulster on September 25th.
