THIS weekend sees the first residents of the 300 private homes at the Athletes’ Village pick up their keys and begin a new life in their brand new homes.
While it’s another exciting milestone for the developers City Legacy, it’s also a bittersweet moment as the thoughts of the consortium lie with the residents of the tiny Pacific nation of Vanuatu, which has been left devastated by Cyclone Pam. The Vanuatu Team of 12 athletes occupied three houses at the Athletes’ Village when they competed in last year’s Commonwealth Games – homes that will be handed over to their new owners this weekend.
In recognition on these recent tragic events, City Legacy is donating £5,000 to Oxfam’s Emergency Reponses fund.
Commenting on behalf of City Legacy, Ed Monaghan said, “Vanuatu is part of the Commonwealth family – and is part of the Athletes’ Village family. We have all been touched by the images we have seen on TV. Around 90 percent of the houses in the nation’s capital have been damaged and destroyed. People have lost their lives, their livelihoods and their homes. We hope this donation will help with the overall efforts to provide for those impacted by these terrible events.”
Last July, the City Legacy consortium also donated funds to the Kip Keino Foundation in Kenya, to help with the provision of shelter, healthcare and quality education for hundreds of young Kenyan orphans and aspiring athletes. A cheque for £10,000 was presented to Olympic and Commonwealth middle distance running champion, Kip Keino, who founded the Foundation.
