Hi, my name is Claire.

I’m 49 years old and live in Robeen, Claremorris in the West of Ireland with my two children, Chloe (11) and James (6).

At the beginning of 2024, my partner Paul and I were full of hope and plans for the future. We were both turning 50 in 2025 and had begun setting aside money for a deposit on our first home.

But everything changed when Paul was diagnosed with Cancer in late 2024. After a devastating and rapid illness, we lost him in March 2025.

Since then, life has become a daily challenge as I try to hold things together for Chloe and James. We’ve lived in a lovely home in a quiet community since 2017—close to the children’s school and surrounded by the animals they love.

Chloe was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, is trying to adjust to life without her dad. James has Sensory Processing Disorder and has also struggled deeply with the changes and the trauma of watching his dad become so unwell.

Over the past months, I’ve used most of our savings to cover outstanding bills from Paul’s self-employed plumbing business—including taxes and debts owed for materials and services.

Now, our landlord has decided to sell the home we rent. We’ve been given the opportunity to buy it, but without the deposit we had once saved, I simply can’t afford it. We have applied for housing support through the local council, but that process takes time—and we’re running out of it.

I’m reaching out with this fundraiser because I want to keep our children in the only home they’ve known since they were little, and—most importantly—keep them in their school, where they receive exceptional support from their teachers and principal.

Any help, no matter how small, will bring us closer to some stability and allow my children to continue healing in the place they feel safest.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting us during this incredibly difficult time.

And thank you for being part of our story and helping us move forward with hope – we will be forever grateful.

With kindest of regards,

Claire