Pictures: Friendly Call serves up a successful meet-up

Wed, 05 Apr, 2023 - 18:29

Breda Graham

The coordinator of Friendly Call has described the recently held Friendly Call tea party at City Hall as “a huge success”.

Friendly Call, which is part of the Cork City Partnership, is a free service in Cork City providing a daily phone call to older people or individuals’ who may feel lonely, isolated and vulnerable.

Volunteers with Friendly Call Cork, and CE and Tús workers joined by Councillor Deirdre Forde, Lord Mayor, at the Friendly Call Cork tea party at City Hall. Also included are Brenda Barry, social inclusion co-ordinator, Cork City Partnership, and Jackie Fitzgibbon, co-ordinator, Friendly Call Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

Coordinator Jackie Fitzgibbon said there were over 100 people in attendance at the event which took place in Millennium Hall at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve about 400 people on the books and we knew some people couldn’t get out and there was a lot of anxiety about coming out too, so in the end we got a really good turnout and we were delighted,” she said.

At the Friendly Call Cork tea party at City Hall were (from left) Ger Philpott, volunteer; John Murphy and Peter Crowley. Picture Denis Minihane.

The tea party celebrated Friendly Call clients and volunteers meeting face-to-face, for the first time for some, since the pandemic.

Ms Fitzgibbon said that prior to the pandemic, there would have been events organised regularly and that 2019 was the last in-person event before the country went into lockdown.

“It was something we were hoping to resume and just wanted to ensure we got the right conditions there,” she said. “Before Christmas we were wondering would we have one, but then with the hospitals being so full over Christmas and a lot of our clients are elderly and a lot of them have medical conditions, so we thought it’s just not worth the risk.

Michael Dineen playing the accordian at the Friendly Call Cork tea party at City Hall. Picture Denis Minihane.

“Then, when the chief medical officer came out and said that elderly people should get back out there and start doing things last month we said we would go for it.”

Ms Fitzgibbon said witnessing the clients meeting their volunteers was comparable to that of an airport scene where people are being reunited.

Enjoying the Friendly Call Cork tea party at City Hall. Picture Denis Minihane.

“These people were friends, but didn’t know who each other really were on the other hand so it was very heartwarming,” she said.

She said there was lots of positive feedback from clients over the phones on Wednesday following the event and hopes that it will be the return of many more events to come.

Jackie Fitzgibbon, co-ordinator, Friendly Call Cork, (left) and Rosarie Ray, volunteer, at the Friendly Call Cork tea party at City Hall. Picture Denis Minihane.

“Once you get out once and break the ice, you’d be more inclined to get out and do some more things, that’s what we’re hoping for anyway,” she said.

She thanked all those involved in making the event a success, including Cork City Council for the use of Millennium Hall, Lord Mayor Deirdre Forde who was in attendance, and all the volunteers.