Douglas community pulls together in the face of adversity

Sat, 25 Apr, 2020 - 19:05

Amy Nolan

There have been many heart-warming examples of community collaboration and resilience in Cork City in the past month during the coronavirus pandemic.

In Douglas, voluntary groups, sports clubs, and community gardaí are pulling together in response to the needs of the community.

Core members of the Douglas Covid-19 group, front: Rory Noonan, Douglas GAA; Conor Horgan, Nemo Rangers, and Aidan O’Connor, Douglas, GAA. with rear: Triona Healy, Cork South Community Work Department HSE; Bernadette Horgan, Douglas Young at Heart; Ciarán Lynch, Cork ETB; Garda Sgt Mick O’Connell, Community Policing and Ronan Clarke, Douglas Mens’ Shed Group.

Assisting in the co-ordination of this are Cork City Council, Cork ETB, community gardaí, the HSE and local voluntary groups.

Community gardaí have delivered non-perishable food to the Douglas Young at Heart senior citizens group, who have been making up food parcels. These are then distributed to people across Douglas village and its environs.

Garda Sgt Mick O’Connell, Community Policing and Garda Damien Desmond helping to about to unload a delivery of food for Phil Goodman.

This is part of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) initiative, which helps those on the margins of society and who are in need of essential food support.

Some of these people are families in need, self-isolating individuals; others are cocooning, but all have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Douglas Meals on Wheels are also continuing their Trojan work during the pandemic, offering up to seven meals per person every week. Working from the kitchen in Douglas Community Centre, the volunteers are preparing upwards of 220 meals each week, from Monday to Thursday.

Phil Goodman with community gardaí. Include are: Gardaí Karen Walsh, Sgt Mick O’Connell, Community Policing, Ger O’Donovan and Katherine Madden.

As well as assisting with food deliveries, gardaí have also helped collect prescriptions for people who can’t leave their homes, while the Irish Red Cross has transported people to important medical appointments. Douglas/Frankfield Men’s Shed have shown that community spirit is strong in the suburb by volunteering to help with essential repair work for people as well as other jobs during the pandemic.