This week, Rape Crisis Midwest staff, volunteers and supporters gathered at the Parkway Shopping Centre for the launch of ‘Walk in Her Shoes 2016’, an annual family-friendly event which, this year, will take place on Saturday, May 21.
‘Walk in Her Shoes’ involves a light-hearted challenge for men to take a walk in high heels as a show of solidarity with women against sexual violence.
In combination with other fundraising events, the challenge is being organised to make up the €120,000 shortfall faced by Rape Crisis Midwest each year and the challenge in keeping the three centres in Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh open to victims of rape and sexual abuse.
Special guests at the launch included Diarmuid Crowley from Wild Orchard who are sponsoring drinks on the day and members of the Corbett Suicide Prevention Patrol who put on their high heels to show their support.
“The businesses in the Parkway Centre have been extremely generous and eager to get on board, with shops like Shoe Rack donating high heels for the day and Limerick City College donating a tablet as a raffle prize. Not only that, but many brave male staff members from various Parkway businesses have pledged to take the ultimate challenge and walk in high heels for Rape Crisis Midwest in two weeks’ time,” a spokeswoman for the Centre said.
This year’s ‘Walk In Her Shoes’ challenge will take place at the Parkway Shopping Centre in Limerick, at Nenagh Arts Centre in Tipperary and at Glór in Ennis at noon on Friday, May 21.
With plenty of music and entertainment, not to mention the ever-popular raffle, it is sure to be a fun day out for all the family and an enjoyable way to raise much-needed funds for all three centres across the Midwest.