Opening of new health and wellbeing centre in Kinsale 'a remarkable achievement'

Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) has welcomed Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler to Kinsale to officially open the Kinsale Community Health and Wellbeing Resource Centre (The Well).

The Well is the first project of its kind in Ireland and provides accommodation for three community groups which are involved in promoting mental health and wellbeing in the community.

Cork Kerry Community Healthcare provided the location, the former Health Centre on Market Lane, and The Well volunteers secured funding for work on the building.

Cork Kerry Community Healthcare has also provided some funding to complete the work needed to transform the centre into a community resource.

The three groups now located at the centre are Kinsale Youth Support Services (KYSS), the Kinsale Youth Centre/Café and the Kinsale Men’s Shed.

The name ‘The Well’ was chosen as traditionally, a well was a community resource where people gathered and was the provider of a life-giving force. The Well is also an acronym for Wellness, Education, Life-giving and Life-skills.

The centre will foster inclusive community participation by providing an environmentally-friendly facility where health and wellbeing, education, recreation, celebration, and arts are all enjoyed.

The Well volunteers have worked over the last four years to renovate the building, connecting with Clann Credo to secure a loan and successfully accessing funding from SECAD and Pobal to reimagine the building.

They also ran several fundraising events, including a car draw and selling tickets to guess the number of lobster pots in the Lobster Pot Christmas Tree.

Speaking in Kinsale, Minister Butler said: “It gives me great pleasure to see this collaborative, multi-agency project which will benefit the health and wellbeing of people of all ages in Kinsale and the wider community.

“It is wonderful to see so many people and groups come together with a shared vision to improve health and wellbeing facilities for the community.

“This vision has been turned into a reality here today thanks to the hard work and commitment of all involved.” 

Interim Chief Officer of Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Gabrielle O'Keeffe said it is “a fantastic achievement” to see the centre up and running in the heart of the town.

I know just how vibrant and important these three groups are within this community and it is wonderful that they now have a permanent hub, fully kitted-out, where they can work together to improve the mental health of both young and old.

“The fact that a Youth Café sits alongside a Men's Shed here is truly inclusive and mutually beneficial.

"The repurposing of the vacant health centre premises is an absolute credit to Carmel Murphy and her ‘Well’ volunteer team, who have worked so hard and fund-raised so much to help make this happen. 

"We are delighted to be able to support 'The Well' by providing the premises and wish to congratulate everyone involved on such a remarkable achievement.”