Irish people use sports to raise over €2 million for COVID-19 causes

Research conducted by OLBG.com, an online sports betting community platform, revealed that Irish people came together through a shared love of sport to generate over €2 million between March and May 2020 in donations.

Data collected from over 500 GoFundMe campaigns showed 62% of all campaigns between March and May 2020 were for COVID-19 related causes. These campaigns aimed to raise €1.3 million but final figures exceeded this target by a cool 52%, reaching over €2 million.

65% of all fundraising campaigns during this time involved sports, the result of initiatives of sports teams societies or clubs or having a form of exercise as the central activity.  The fundraising goal for all of these campaigns during the study was €2.7 million, however, the final amount reached €4.5 million, an increase of 70%.

In response to the data, Richard Moffat, CEO of OLBG.com said: “With COVID-19 putting a stop to traditional organised sporting events charities rely on, the public has really rallied round and in particular to support those on the front lines of health care. In these difficult times where we’ve been physically pushed apart, sport seems to have a way of pulling us back together again.”

Irish raise over €2 million for COVID-19 causes

Walking or running made up 76% of the exercise-centric campaigns whilst 9% was a combination of running and cycling.  Over 225,000 kms was covered in total, making each kilometre covered worth €6.37 to the causes.

Participants were of all shapes, sizes and ages including Kathleen, a 90-year-old who, single handily, raised €18,000 by dancing in her front garden and Michael who raised €17,850 by doing 1,000 push ups in an hour.

Kathleen is giving it 90!
Co. Louth woman Kathleen Lynch is dancing her way to 90 for Age Action #AgeingEqual #COVID19Ireland https://t.co/fj58qcfRSX

— Age Action (@AgeAction) April 21, 2020

The restrictions due to the pandemic, including social distancing and isolation, threatened the sense of community that holds a nation together.  However, the accessibility of the internet and technology has helped bridge this gap, maintain connection to the outside world and, as demonstrated here, bring people together in times of need.

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