Two local charities, The Niamh Louise Foundation and Charis Cancer Care, have benefitted from a combined £4,600 of support from Dungannon-based Mallaghan.

Mallaghan, which is a global leader in the manufacturing of airport ground support equipment, has hosted a variety of fundraising events to raise money for suicide prevention services in the Tyrone area and to support those in Cookstown and surrounding areas affected by cancer.

Most recently, a team of 24 employees from all areas of the business participated in the Belfast City Marathon team relay.

Niall Mallaghan, Director at Mallaghan, said:

“Both the Niamh Louise Foundation and Charis Cancer Care are charities close to the hearts of our team, which is why we opted to share the donations evenly between the two organisations.

“As a responsible business operating within the local community, the wellbeing of our employees is our utmost priority.

“As well as raising vital funds for those struggling with mental health issues or the effects of cancer, our fundraising has also allowed us to open internal discussions around these issues, encouraging staff to speak more openly and remove the stigma around such topics.

“We are incredibly proud of our team for getting involved in such important and worthwhile causes.”

Mallaghan manufactures equipment such as aircraft stairs, aircraft buses, catering trucks and de-icers for airlines including British Airways, easyJet, Emirates, Qatar and Ryanair

Commenting on the significant fundraising efforts by Mallaghan, Grainne from the Niamh Louise Foundation, which offers one-to-one care for anyone in crisis with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, said:

“Unfortunately, death by suicide is one of the leading causes of death across the globe, with this number being higher in Northern Ireland than anywhere else in the UK.

“The money raised by Mallaghan will go a long way towards helping those within our local area who are struggling with mental health issues and providing suicide prevention to those in need, and we are extremely grateful for this generous contribution.”

Imelda from Charis Cancer Care said:

“This substantial boost from Mallaghan will go directly towards providing services such as counselling, mindfulness sessions and group events, to those affected by cancer, including patients and bereaved family members.

“We would like to say a huge thank-you to the team at Mallaghan for their invaluable support as it is hugely appreciated and will make an enormous difference in the lives of the people we work with.”

Charis Cancer Care provides a range of holistic and complementary therapies to individuals at every stage of their cancer journey.

For more information about these charities and their services, visit www.chariscancercare.org or www.niamhlouisefoundation.com