SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Justin McNulty has praised and thanked the management of Newry Credit Union for setting up a fund to help with the repatriation costs for Colombian woman Giselle Marimon-Herrera and daughter Allison who were murdered in Newry earlier this month.
Mr McNulty said the deaths “sent shockwaves” through the community and praised the public’s “outpouring of heartfelt sympathy”.
He said: “That amazing sympathy and indeed generosity was epitomised by the steps taken by Newry Credit Union to open up a repatriation fund. This step has been embraced by the community of Newry and by many people from further afield. The response has been incredibly generous and heart-warming.
“This step reflects the very ethos of the Credit Union movement who, since their foundation, were about the community coming together as a collective to financially support the less well off. I want to thank the Board and Management of Newry Credit Union for this step and encourage people to continue to support their efforts.”
Commending the support of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT), Mr McNulty added: “This community and indeed this country are lucky to have the services of the Kevin Bell Trust who help in the tragic circumstances when a family’s loved one dies abroad. For legal reasons, the Trust were not able to take on the role of repatriation from here to Colombia but they made a sizeable donation to the efforts of Newry Credit Union. The efforts and generosity of the Kevin Bell Trust and Newry Credit Union are deeply appreciated by us all.”