Many Cork businesses offering services and food for free to those affected by flooding

After a few terrible days for Cork, where businesses and homes were flooded particularly in towns such as Midleton and Glanmire, many business owners are doing their best to help where they can.

Both Midleton Aggregates and Power Aggregates in Carrigtwohill shipped free sandbags all around Glanmire and Midleton, along with bags to fill up, so that people could minimise the flood damage to their homes and businesses.

KK Valeting offered to clean out flood-damaged cars for free, posting an Instagram story which read: “Lads, any cars flood damaged, need to be dried out etc bring them down to us, we will sort ye out free of charge”, and asking customers to spread the word.

For anyone whose car was damaged to the point that it couldn’t be driven, Kearys offered courtesy cars to help get people back on the road.

They shared: “If your car has been damaged in the flooding, we can give you a loan car until your car gets sorted.

“If you need help with your car, collection or assistance in any way, the Kearys Hyundai and Renault Midleton teams are here for you.” 

The Captains Catch, a fish and chip van, braved the weather to feed everyone whose home had been destroyed and those out helping with the cleanup.

They wrote on their Facebook page: “For all people displaced, firemen, Gardai, helpers, cleaners, volunteers, anyone at all affected by the flooding yesterday please come to us on main street and we will feed you.” 

Supervalu, Aldi and Subway in Glanmire also gave away free food, as did Messy Buns café in Midleton, and Toasties, who gave out coffees free of charge. Cork Penny Dinners also offered their services to anyone whose home was flooded.

Lennox’s supplied heavily discounted and free food to affected businesses and staff, with Stephen Conway telling The Echo: “Other affected businesses have reacted similar to ourselves and the community spirit is definitely highly prominent.

“We have had customers come in and donate cash to be distributed to people in need in the form of food from us, this was very generous and we did not expect it.” 

Another business to offer free food was Cornerstone Pizza, who stopped phone delivery service in favour of feeding people in need, giving out over 200 pizzas on Thursday, and continued this service on Friday.

Cornerstone’s Josh took to Facebook to ask people to send on information for any family that were under pressure so that they could help them.

Posting again Friday afternoon, he thanked people who had come to the store and donated money to help them in their mission not to let anyone affected by the floods go hungry.

Sharon Gleeson from The Grumpy Bakers in Midleton told The Echo: “We were flooded to counter height ourselves, we took as much stock out of the building as we could on and we elevated equipment as best we could on Wednesday afternoon.

“We were nervous coming back to our bake shop on Thursday but we brought our team and rented some water vacs from Carey's tool hire and got stuck in.

“We were lucky water didn't go above counter level and our team worked tirelessly for the day and managed to clean out the building.

“We moved on and helped our neighbours at the shelf and have passed on our equipment to all other businesses in Middleton that need it.

“The support we received from all of our neighbours, our staff and our community has been phenomenal - we are blown away!

“We feel very lucky that our equipment survived and to be surrounded by such a strong and supportive community.

“Today we opened to serve hot drinks, pastries and cakes to everyone free of charge - we want to do what we can to help fuel everyone to get through this heartbreaking time!” 

For businesses, the owner of Kalculate, an accounting firm, wrote on Facebook: “I am so saddened to see so many Cork businesses and homes affected by the flooding.

“If any affected businesses need to avail of my services over the next few weeks please contact me and I will look after this for you for free – it’s all I can offer in these difficult times.” 

MidletonIT gave out free charging cables as well as setting up an overnight charging station in the shop for anyone who needed it.

Aaron Burke Barrett told The Echo: “I felt it was important to help the town of Midleton as when there’s a crisis, that’s what we as a community do, band together and do our best for our town and the people in it!

“As an autistic man I love this town so much, I’ve lived here my whole life and have named my business after it, I couldn’t stand and watch while not doing anything about it!

“I was also out in the water chest deep helping people out as they were stuck in the strong current, and that night stayed late in the shop helping anyone out that needed with water damaged devices!”