Christmas time is drawing ever closer and while we may get caught up in the chirpy carols and the sparkling lights it’s always important to remember to think of those in need.
So says TV personality and mum of two Lorraine Keane, who is the new face of Enable Ireland’s Christmas campaign in association with Argos to help raise funds to support children and families with disabilities.
Families throughout Ireland can now visit donation stations across 40 Argos stores and 21 Enable Ireland retail stores, where they can donate old toys textiles, household items, books and video games in exchange for a €5 voucher towards the cost of new toys.
Lorraine is supporting Argos’ campaign with Enable Ireland
Lorraine revealed that the campaign is a great opportunity for families to raise money for charity and cut down their own Christmas costs.
“I always make sure that Enable Ireland is one of the charities that I give a little bit of time to and the fact that they’ve teamed up with Argos just in time for Christmas is fantastic.
“Christmas fast approaching and knowing that you’re going to be buying toys and presents in the coming months it’s an incentive really to buy all of your gifts in Argos instead of anywhere else,” she said.
Lorraine may be a well-known Irish personality but her most important job is at home with her children Amelia and Romy and she said she has been blessed.
“Enable Ireland do amazing work and I have been blessed with two happy healthy babies and it was actually just before Amelia was born, she’s just turned nine, when I started visiting Enable Ireland so you just count your blessings every day.
“Amelia and Romi arrived today with a bag of toys and both of them have had birthdays in the last three weeks and both of them have given items they have recently got and also old toys.
“They are aware that they are helping children who are less fortunate than they are. It is a very important message, she said.
Lorraine controversially left TV3’s Xposé in 2009 to spend more time with her young children and she said that although it was a difficult decision to make, it is not one she will ever regret.
“For me, I always felt that I didn’t have them for somebody else to rear them and it’s my favourite thing to be is a mum so I just didn’t want to regret not being there.
“Hard and all as it was for me to leave mentally after all the hours I had put into my career and financially because we’ve had to tighten our belts but I haven’t regretted it one bit because it’s given me opportunities that I never would have had.
“If I was working full time in TV3 I would have never been able to write my book or go on a musical theatre tour this year or be a part of all kinds of great campaigns including Garnier so I have never regretted it because thankfully I have been able to work and maintain a profile and pay the bills.
Lorraine said she does not regret her departure from TV3
“I’ve had an abundance of time to spend with my children, which I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” she said.
Meanwhile, Lorraine has been keeping mum on a recent trip to the UK where she has been working for Sky and BBC but she says she doesn’t have plans to take the leap to the UK.
She said: “The only reason people are talking about that is because I did a small piece for Sky and the BBC in the summer.
“I had most of the summer off with the girls and I got the opportunity to be involved in a very small way with this production. I was very lucky to be asked and it worked out very well.
However, Lorraine revealed that she is definitely not finished with television and will always feel at home in front of the camera.
“For me it’s a hobby and the girls are that little bit older now so I can justify it in my own head to do a little bit more television.
“To me I don’t care where it’s aired whether it’s on RTÉ or TV3 or overseas on British television as long as it can fit into my little family,” she finished.
