PICTURES: COFFA to celebrate 50 years of helping Cork city's senior citizens

CORK Old Folks Friendly Association, more commonly known by its acronym ‘COFFA’, is celebrating a milestone 50 years in operation with a ‘welcome back’ event next week inviting past volunteers and centre users to reunite and reminisce.

The association, which aims to address and support the needs of senior citizens throughout the city, is inviting those with a connection to COFFA over the years to attend the event at COFFA House on Church Street on Saturday, November 26 from 3-6pm.

COFFA was founded by David Williamson and Tom Whelton who, from their experience at the time in Cork, believed there was a need for an organisation to help better the lives of older people in the city.

COFFA was founded in 1972 as a non-profit and non-denominational organisation, with the inaugural meeting held in Moore’s Hotel where the first committee was established.

The purpose and aim of COFFA was to create an organisation which would provide friendship and social support to elderly people, in particular to those living on their own throughout the city.

David and Tom were supported in establishing COFFA with the assistance of Manus O’Callaghan, John Jermyn, Vivian Nathan, Brendan Hegarty and others.

“In the early seventies, many of our senior citizens lived in very poor conditions, many in substandard housing and bedsits which were privately rented,” Catherine Cogan, one of the first volunteers at COFFA recalled.

“Many of our older gentlemen lived in what were known as doss-houses in the inner city.

“Apart from a basic state pension which did not include living alone, free fuel or free electricity, our senior citizens did not have access to rent allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance.”

The association set up a friendship home visitation service throughout the city, a weekly friendship visitation service to St Finbarr’s Hospital, as well as a home repair service, meals on wheels on Sundays, advocacy and social outings, Christmas hampers and clothing parcels in the early years.

In 1973 after much voluntary fundraising 21 Church Street, a former laundry and private residence, was purchased by the committee to create a base in which to provide a centre that senior citizens would avail of seven evenings per week including Christmas day for friendship, social contact, activities and support.

“In the early years, COFFA did not receive any state funding towards its services.

“In 1974 Robin Power and Vincent O’Farrell came on board and paid for the renovations to transform 21 Church Street into the social centre we envisaged at the time for which we are to this day very grateful for,” Ms Cogan said.

In 1975 COFFA House was formally opened by Rita Childers, the wife of the former President of Ireland, Erskine Childrers.

Since then the association has continued to offer a vibrant social centre manned by volunteers with massive input from the centre users.