Cork family of 'pandemic heroes' see generosity rewarded by good samaritans 

The family live in Direct Provision and handed out more than 2,000 homemade face-masks to the people of Cork during the course of the pandemic

Raminder Singh with his family, wife Harinder, daughter Sandeep and son Gurcharan distribute free face masks on Patrick’s St. Cork. 

A family living in Direct Provision who handed out more than 2,000 homemade face-masks to the people of Cork during the course of the pandemic have found what goes around, comes around after all.

Yesterday, the Singh family, who live in the Kinsale Road accommodation centre in Cork, were left gutted after their son’s electric bike was stolen.

The Hyuhome TAOICHI bike, purchased by father Raminder Singh, was a gift to son Gursewak ‘Gurri’, 19, and was just a month old when it was stolen near George's Quay.

The stolen bike

Roos Demol, CEO of Recruit Refugees Ireland was quick to take to Twitter to issue an appeal for the bike, while Kerry McCarthy, Head of Operations at the charity started a fundraising campaign to help replace the bike.

This electric bike was stolen ftom a resident in DP, whose father had been saving up to buy it for him. The same family that was giving out free masks has now been robbed in #Cork. If you see it for szke, please send me a DM and inform the gardaí. Gurri is gutted! #Singhfamily. pic.twitter.com/zkqQc8gv6r

— Roos Demol 🇵🇸 🇨🇩 🇸🇾 🇸🇩 (@vlinierland) May 24, 2021

“The Singh family live in Direct Provision and are well known for giving out hundreds of free masks last year during the pandemic,” she wrote, “Let's help them replace the bike and give back to them!” 

In just four hours, the GoFundMe had surpassed its €1,500 goal, and now stands at €1,685.

The Singh family, who have lived in the Rebel county for more than three years now, are “delighted” by the generosity of the donors, according to Ms Demol.

"They are all so happy, they are so delighted, they never thought this would be possible," she said.

Ms Demol said she got a huge reaction on Twitter when she said the bike had been stolen yesterday, with people asking whether there was a fundraiser and one man even offering to give Gursewak his own bike.

"People haven't forgotten that they worked so hard, giving out these masks ... people haven't forgotten that."

"I am really taken aback by the kindness of people, it's been absolutely wonderful, and they deserve it as well," she said, "they're such a lovely family."