The residential home for disabled people in Siġġiewi Dar tal-Providenza does not consider L-Istrina as competition, its director, Fr Martin Micallef, said during yesterday's open day and fund-raising radio and television marathon.

The complex, that helps persons with disability, needs €13,000 a day to operate and last year it suffered a €100,000 deficit, making it depend heavily on providence and public generosity.

When asked whether he felt encouraged or threatened by the €2.3 million collected at the annual L-Istrina last week and how the home would cope, Fr Micallef said he trusted in the public's generosity.

"We do not depend on an annual marathon to survive. Every year, the public gives us €3.5 million, so I am confident people will keep helping us as they always had," an unperturbed Fr Micallef said.

Starting at 10 a.m., the open day had a healthy attendance, with people trickling in and leaving their donations at the front desk. They could also take guided tours of the home, which hosts disabled people without isolating them from the community.

By 11 p.m. last night, the sum collected reached €527,263. The public can donate €7 by sending a text message to 5061 8922 or via www.dartalprovidenza.com.