# Bar Council raises the fundraising bar

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/05/29/bar-council-raises-the-fundraising-bar/
- Published: 2019-05-29T15:31:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Bar Council for Northern Ireland has raised over £82,000 for AWARE, the Depression
Charity for Northern Ireland.**

The Bar Council for Northern Ireland has raised over £82,000 for a local mental 
health charity, its best fundraising total to date.

[AWARE, the Depression Charity for Northern Ireland](http://www.aware-ni.org), was
the Bar’s chosen charity partner over the last year and received £82,500 as their
charity partner. The Bar choses a different partner each year and this is the largest
fundraising figure so far.

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**Karen Collins**, AWARE CEO, said her charity were delighted to be chosen as the
Bar’s charity partner and it was a great partnership to be involved in with so many
creative and fun fundraising activities led by the Bar.

“The phenomenal amount of money raised will make such a difference to the work of
AWARE and in so doing better support those affected by depression,” Ms Collins said.

She said the Bar’s successful fundraising efforts were down to the hard work and
generosity put in by those who organized, attended and contributed to the fundraising
events such as the Bar Library Annual Charity Ball, the “Battle of the Barristers”
Slieve Donard climb, the “Woofy Walk”, Santa at the Bar Library, the annual “Frock
Swap” and the Laganside 10k run.

Ms Collins said the money will support a range of activities including support groups,
Living Life to the Full programmes for those experiencing depression, wellbeing 
programmes delivered to schools and communities throughout Northern Ireland to raise
awareness of looking after your mental health and our information and outreach services
which aim to overcome the stigma of talking about poor mental health and provide
information talks and literature.

**Adele O’Grady QC**, Chair of the Charity Committee said: “I would like to thank
every one of my colleagues at the Bar for their incredible support and generosity–
and in particular the members of the Charity Committee for their enthusiasm, determination
and sheer hard work.”

Last year AWARE raised £392,000, a significant increase on the previous year’s fundraising
income. Total income for the charity was £940,000.

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