NI firm pays for Christmas presents for 100 terminally ill children after Lapland trip cancelled

After reading a moving story in the local press, a Northern Ireland telecommunications firm has donated £20,000 to a children’s Lapland charity.
By Graeme Cousins
Published 3rd Dec 2020, 12:49 BST
Updated 3rd Dec 2020, 12:50 BST
Gerry Kelly, President of Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT) and Britt Megahey, Founder and Managing Director of Belfast-headquartered Barclay Communications. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press EyeGerry Kelly, President of Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT) and Britt Megahey, Founder and Managing Director of Belfast-headquartered Barclay Communications. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye
Gerry Kelly, President of Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT) and Britt Megahey, Founder and Managing Director of Belfast-headquartered Barclay Communications. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye

Britt Megahey, founder and manging director of Belfast-headquartered Barclay Communications, was moved when he read recent articles about the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust’s decision to cancel its annual flight to see Santa in Rovaniemi – the official hometown of Santa Claus on the Arctic Circle in Lapland, Finland – because of Covid-19.

The charity, which has taken over 1,200 ill and vulnerable NI children to Lapland over the past 12 years, has replaced its traditional annual flight to Lapland with a temporary initiative called ‘Three Steps To Christmas’ which will see 100 very special terminally ill, life-limited or deserving children across Northern Ireland receiving some extra special Christmas presents from the charity.

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Learning of the project, Britt Megahey was so moved he decided to fund the entire initiative to support the charity’s tireless work.

Britt said: “As a telecommunications firm we have seen a significant increase in the uptake of our products and services due to the increasing demand for remote working, however our growth has been bittersweet. While we have welcomed new business, we have been well aware that other sectors are struggling, with charities taking a massive hit.

“Children have been impacted drastically by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their social and sporting activities have been halted, they lost months of education and for those children with vulnerabilities their lives have taken a greater hit and we feel we have an obligation to give back to those who need it most and at a time when children should be enjoying what should be the most magical time of the year.”

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Related topics:Northern IrelandBelfast