£2,000 handed to local charities by Enagh Seniors Group after 'Ermitrude' auction

Enagh Seniors Group raised £2,000 from the auction and related collections for the decorated cow 'Ermitrude' and donated £1,000 each to Foyle Hospice and Foyle Search and Rescue.

Enagh Seniors Group has handed over £2,000 to two local charities following the sale of a decorated cow known as 'Ermitrude.' The cow had been part of a public art initiative linked to the 2013 Derry/Londonderry UK City of Culture and spent several years at Marie Coyle's garden in Maydown. The group arranged for the cow to be auctioned at Lisahally Mart and combined the auction proceeds with a bucket collection and group contributions. The formal cheque handover took place at the group's headquarters with the city's mayor present. Key details: - The auctioned cow, 'Ermitrude,' raised £1,550 at Lisahally Mart and was sold to a buyer in Stranorlar, County Donegal. - Additional donations included £270 from a bucket collection and £180 from the Enagh Seniors Group, bringing the total to £2,000. - The funds were split evenly, with £1,000 each donated to Foyle Hospice and Foyle Search and Rescue. - 'Ermitrude' was one of 15 painted cows from the 2013 CowParade and had previously stood outside the Tourist Board office on Foyle Street for seven years. - The auction was arranged after the group repainted the cow and contacted auctioneer Richard Beattie at Lisahally Mart. Summary: The initiative turned a local public art piece into community fundraising that supported two frontline charities and highlighted local involvement. Undetermined at this time.