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FOUNDED in the 1960s by Drogheda’s own Oliver Murphy, The Irish Wheelchair Association is a national organisation dedicated to the achievement of the full social, economic and educational integration of people with disabilities as equal, independent and participative members of the community.

Its Drogheda branch is located on Mayoralty Street and has gone from strength to strength over the years to see it now hosting social and leisure activities for hundreds of members of all ages.

“It is an amazing place to work and the people and staff are fantastic,” says Claire McLoughlin, originally from Balbriggan, but working in the Drogheda centre for two years.

“We all get on very well with our service users, we gel, it’s not like us and them, and I think it’s important in a centre like this. They’re coming here for an outlet, and it could be the only time in the week they might get out.”

There are a range of activities from table tennis to kettle bells, coffee mornings to day trips to the likes of IKEA and more, and it is the members who tell the centre what they would like to do.

“We have a monthly meeting with each group and they tell us what they want, as inclusion is key and it is their centre,” adds Claire.

“We noticed also there was nothing for wheelchair users for younger members, so we have a young adult service on Wednesdays between 2.30pm and 7pm, and it is so popular and vital for them.”

Nicola runs a very active keep fit class, and many of the younger members attend that and then stay for a social evening.

“Whatever they want to do we try and facilitate, whether is the cinema, bowling, or day trips like the Guinness Storehouse.”

Claire says people don’t realise how important services like theirs are to the members.

“Often times, whether young or old, they might only want to come and have a chat, play some board games. or have a cup of tea, and that is fine by us,” she says. “They get so much out of it, we are happy to help.”