Douglas community spirit shines during Covid-19 lockdown

Wed, 13 May, 2020 - 17:20

Roisin Burke

Community spirit is alive and well in Douglas with local community and voluntary groups working hard to ensure that everyone in their community is being well looked after.

Working alongside the Cork City Community Response Forum (CRF), the groups are delivering key services to those who need it most.

Douglas Meals on Wheels are delivering 210 nutritional meals to vulnerable people within the community and due to the increased demand, Cork City Council and the Douglas - Frankfield Men’s Sheds have been helping to deliver the hot dinners.

As well as delivering dinners, the Douglas - Frankfield Men’s Shed have been busy doing essential works in cocooning peoples homes, fixing household appliances and do necessary gardening work. In one instance, a lady with a disability needed urgent repairs to her boiler house.

Some of the kind-hearted volunteers helping out in their local community in Douglas during the Covid-19 lockdown

Not to be outdone, Douglas GAA and Nemo Rangers GAA, including the ladies’ football and camogie teams, are delivering groceries from Ryan’s SuperValu in Grange to cocooners five days a week.

As well as this, Care-ring Douglas and Young@Heart volunteers have been contacting the 402 people who use their service. They have seen a marked increase in calls and have been stepping up to the plate to ensure they continue to offer their best support.

Keeping people informed, the Community Response Forum in Douglas has delivered leaflets to 1,500 houses in Douglas, Grange and Rochestown.

These leaflets contain vital information for those cocooning, and include contact details of the community response forum and local groups, and a list of supports available to them and up to 600 Age-Friendly newsletters a week are being delivered to local households so they are kept updated in events and important contact details in their community.

Cork City Council Community Response Forum Lead, Stephen Murphy said: “It is humbling to witness the fantastic response from the people in Douglas - local community and volunteer groups are working hard to look after the most vulnerable people in their community.

“We’re also seeing people who are themselves cocooning continue to work remotely to keep these vital supports running. Please remember that we are here to support anyone who needs help, whether this is picking up shopping and medicine or the delivery of library books – you can call us on 1800-222-226 or email covidsupport@corkcity.ie”