A CHARITY APPEAL for a homeless organisation arranged through a book club has raised nearly €36,000 and is still receiving donations.

The Rick O’Shea Book Club – which is organised and facilitated by RTÉ broadcaster Rick O’Shea – has over 22,000 members on Facebook. 

O’Shea started the Christmas appeal in November to raise money for the Peter McVerry Trust. 

As of today, it has raised €35,798. 

“I don’t have to tell you that we’re in the middle of an unparalleled homelessness crisis in this country, so this year I thought we’d try and use the power of my book club to raise funds for one of the charities at the coalface,” O’Shea said on the fundraising appeal website. 

O’Shea appealed to people connected with the book club to donate any amount they had. 

“It could change the life of someone who, right now, literally has nothing and nowhere to go,” he said.

The appeal managed to raise €5,000 in the first 36 hours.

“We raised that total in the first 36 hours. I have no words. I’m raising it to €10,000 in the full hopes that we can do that too. Thank you all,” O’Shea said at the time. 

The appeal has continued receiving donation since then.