Shantalla drop-in worker’s name up in lights – in Toronto!

When Breedge Giles was walking in downtown Toronto last week, she got the shock of her life.

There on a giant billboard was a picture of one of her oldest schoolmates – Josephine Collins from Shantalla.

Joesphine works as a drop-in support worker with the Fred Victor organisation which helps homeless people in the Canadian city.  The charity has taken out ads online and at key points around Toronto honouring its frontline staff who were helping people in very dire conditions and who are at very high risk of being infected by Covid-19.

Breedge sent a picture of the huge public vote of thanks to her brother, Johnny Giles, back in Galway.

“I haven’t seen her in a long time – she was in the same class as Breedge – and came from a family of 14, also from O’Flaherty’s Road in Shantalla,” explains Johnny.

“She left here an awful long time – at least 30 years I’d say – and did a degree in social care and has worked in the homeless area in Toronto for a long time. I thought it was fantastic that she should get this acknowledgement for the hard work she does.

“I see people get praised for things all the time, but the work she’s doing is really tough – she’s working with people who’ve fallen on very hard times and that can’t be easy – especially now.”

He posted a picture of the billboard on his Facebook to let others know of her achievements.

“My fellow Shantolian Josephine Collins celebrated for her dedicated work with the homeless in Toronto,” he declared.