The Derry City Council Civic Offices building on the Strand Road will turn Gold for the month of December in support of childhood cancer charities and to assist Council employee Emma McLaughlin raise funds ahead of her charity trek in Peru next year.

Emma, who works as a Website Assistant at the Civic Offices, is preparing for a charity trek to the Inca Trail next May where she will endure a grueling trek in below zero temperatures and high altitude to raise money for Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Emma is hoping that by lighting the Council building gold during the month of December it will help raise awareness of her charity and encourage people to support children’s cancer charities. The Council has supported other cancer charity initiatives in the past by turning the building yellow as part of the Light the UK Yellow campaign in aid of Marie Curie, blue to create awareness of Diabetes and pink back in October of this year, to support breast cancer awareness.

The Mayor, Alderman Maurice Devenney pledging his support said it was important that organisatons such as Council were taking the lead in creating awareness and offering support. He extended his best wishes to Emma as she prepares for the charity trek and encouraged local people to support her as she fundraises across the city.

“The Council is pleased to be able to assist Emma in creating awareness of the excellent work being carried out by children’s cancer charities across Northern Ireland. As a parent myself, I can only imagine how devastating it must be to have your child diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully there is support and help out there for families who need it,”

Emma said she was delighted to have the Council on board and supporting her fundraising efforts.

“It’s great to have the support of my work colleagues as I prepare for my trip to Peru next year. I am preparing for a 14 week intensive training programme in the New Year that will build up my fitness levels and get my body in tune for the extreme conditions I will be trekking in. The support I have received to date has been great and would appeal to everyone to continue to dig deep over the festive period and next year to help me raise my target of £4,000.”

Emma is organizing a series of fundraising events over the coming months including a series of bagpacking days at the following venues – Saturday 03 and 17 December at Eurospar at Hatfields Shops; 10 December at Supervalu, Northside Shopping Centre, two weekends during February and March at B&M Bargains, and at Sainsburys on April 14. Emma is selling reindeer dust and collecting money at Santa’s Magical World on the Buncrana Road, so remember to contribute generously.

The building will remain illuminated throughout the month of December. Anyone wanting to donate to Emma’s charity can do so via  her Justgiving page – www.justgiving.com/EmmaMcLaughlin-NICFC  or TEXT  NICFC99 and a donation of your choice to 70070.

Updated on: 7th December, 2011