Spirit of Christmas abounds in North Tipp
A huge voluntary effort is underway throughout north Tipperary to bring some of the sparkle and joy of Christmas to people whose misery has been compounded by ten months of pandemic-laden doom and gloom.
Free dinners will be distributed from Nenagh throughout the community on Christmas Day, while members of Saint Vincent de Paul and Lions Clubs will distribute food, fuel, toy and cash vouchers to tide hundreds of people over the festive season.
Charity groups, starved of funds due to their usual fundraising initiatives being cancelled due to Covid, are set to get a much-needed cash injection, thanks to public support for a whole realm of charity festive events such as mid-winter swims, mountain climbs and tractor runs.
FREE DINNERS FOR THE NEEDY
An all out effort will be made on Christmas Day by community activist Sandra Farrell and her team of up to 25 volunteers to deliver free dinners to over 150 people living alone or in dire straits. Nenagh chef Declan Bourke will be up at the crack of dawn to start cooking the meals at the Nenagh Community Training Centre in John's Lane, which will then be distributed to homes throughout north of Tipperary.
“As part of our meals-on-wheels service on December 25th we will also be delivering an extra meal to cover Saint Stephen's Day,” said Ms Farrell, who revealed that gifts will also be given to all.
The service provided by Ms Farrell and her team can still be availed of. “If people want a meal then all they have to do is make the call.” She can be contacted on 087-6989401.
The traditional annual Nenagh Community Christmas Day Dinner staged in the Scouts Hall has had to be cancelled this year due to the pandemic.
This means that many people who attended the event in the past will be alone this year.
"Unfortunately, meals-on-wheels is all we can provide this year, but we are hoping that that our volunteers will be be able to give a little time to spend at each house just for a little chat and to hopefully bring some Christmas cheer," said Ms Farrell.
FOOD BANKS AND APPEALS
Meanwhile, the last of the fortnightly Nenagh food banks will be held on this Wednesday. A growing demand for this service gives an indication of just how tough it has been for people whose circumstances have been compounded by the pandemic.
"Before Covid we were giving out just around 100 food parcels each fortnight, but it is now tipping between 150 or 170," said Ms Farrell, founder of the service.
On top of its usual distribution this week, the food bank would be distributing up to thirty €50 vouchers to those in need, she revealed.
Harry Martin, the Chairman of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Nenagh said the pubic had been "very responsive" to the society's Christmas Appeal.
"I would like to thank all those people who have been so generous in responding to our appeal," he said, revealing that numerous fuel and food vouchers and toys were now being distributed.
Mr Martin said it was still difficult to gauge just how much money had been donated to the society's work in the Nenagh area as many contributions sent to the national and regional offices had yet to be distributed locally.
"But I know that people did donate quite a bit and responded to our advertisement for donations published in the Nenagh Guardian. Many called to the local Vincents shop with donations also; the local schools have also being very good to us."
Mr Martin said every contribution was vital because "a lot of people are under pressure this year because of Covid".
Meanwhile, Nenagh Lions Club reports that it has had a very good response to their Christmas Appeal. On Sunday last one of their members, Don O' Brien, led a group of eight fellow members on a Solstice climb to the summit of Keeper Hill to raise funds.
"We are delighted overall with the response by the community to our appeal. We have received lots of personal donations and donations from local businesses and there has also been a good response to a GoFundMe page that we set up. We are thrilled with the support as always," said Mr O' Brien.
John Lupton of the Saint Vinent de Paul Society in Roscrea reports a "tremendous response" to the society's Christmas Appeal. "A lot of people went out of their way to make donations and we delighted with the response," said Ms Lupton, who revealed that the society had been badly hit because it had to cancel its usual fundraising events due to Covid.
"This year has been a particularly difficult year with the pandemic and I fear things are going to get worse because of the fresh surge in cases. I think we are going to see even more need as we go in to the new year."
Among the events taking place now daily until January 3rd to raise funds for local worthy causes is the annual Christmas Day Swim at Youghal Quay. The traditional one-day event had to be canccelled this year due to Covid but instead people can take a dip anywhere in the world between now and Sunday week. Any funds collected will be donated to the North Tipperary Hospive Movement. A GoFundMe page has been set up. The link is: https://gf.me/u/zbqma7 See full details of the event on the event's Facebook page.