The family of an Armagh woman who died in a tragic road accident in 2024 have now handed over almost £40,000 to a Newry-based road safety and support charity in her memory.
The charity, The Road Ahead NI – which is affiliated with the Road Safe NI Charity to provide support to anyone affected by a road crash – was handed the funds by the family of Emma Mallon.
In March 2024, Emma sadly passed away as a result of her involvement in a road traffic collision on the Ballynahonemore Road that also claimed the lives of three of her friends: Marina Crilly, Keith Morrison, and Phil Mitchell.
Marking the one-year anniversary of their tragic passing, Emma’s family handed over monies raised through a fundraising evening in her memory, held in Middletown in November 2024.
With the support and generosity of their local community, the family raised a total of £30,189.45 and €1,500.
Commenting on the sizeable donation, a spokesperson for The Road Ahead NI said: “Yesterday we met with the family of a beautiful young girl, Emma Mallon.
“Emma lost her life, along with her best friend Marina, in a road traffic collision on 24th March 2024.
“Despite the devastation Emma’s family have endured, they began a charity fundraiser in November 2024, raising funds for ourselves in memory of Emma. The support they received from their local community and beyond was absolutely amazing, and they raised an astonishing £30,189.45 and €1,500.”
In addition to this, Emma’s father’s employer, JMW Farms Ltd, held a separate fundraising quiz night, which added a further £7,500 to the pot.
Of the additional amount raised, the charity added: “We are absolutely blown away by the support and generosity from this community and are so grateful, as these much-needed funds will support our services providing trauma counselling and play therapy for individuals and families that have been affected by a road traffic collision.
“Emma’s legacy will live on in helping other people through our charity work, and we cannot thank them enough.”
