HOTELS AND VOLUNTEERS TEAM UP TO FEED OVER 100 PEOPLE
COMMUNITY SPIRIT is certainly alive and well in Gorey as hoteliers Tommy and Paddy Redmond have teamed up with local volunteers in Gorey Community Support to provide hot meals to vulnerable local people.
The Redmonds, who own the Ashdown Park Hotel and the Amber Springs Hotel, are working daily with just about 60 volunteers from Naomh Éanna and Craanford GAA clubs, Gorey Rugby Club, Sergeant Evelyn Reddan and other members of the community to provide the meals to more than 100 local people.
The businessmen came up with the idea around the time that hotels across the country were informed that they must shut their doors.
‘We closed around St Patrick’s Day, it took a few days to close the hotels down and it was all quite negative. Paddy and myself were chatting and we basically said we needed to be doing something positive here. The hotels do a lot of local business and we appreciate that and there were so many people who were going to be on lockdown of a certain age group,’ said Tommy Redmond.
‘We then spoke to the Ashdown and Amber managers, Paul and Ivor, and we all just said let’s do it. We contacted our own GAA clubs in Craanford and Naomh Eanna in Gorey, and it sort of ballooned from there. Michael Dwyer came on board, Sergeant Evelyn Reddan and that’s where we went with it.
‘It has gotten such a positive response and I think it’s important. Our own chefs, Val Murphy and Thomas Grzywa, are doing the food in-house, but once we get it to the doorway, the volunteers take over’.
Mr Redmond said that those in need have been enjoying variety in their meals that arrive to their door.
‘Luckily we have a law of our own in what we serve as we have our own farm. We’re serving a typical lunch, a mix of vegetables, potato, and each evening we are doing a particular meat which could be beef, chicken or lamb. All our staff in both hotels are very much behind it, whatever needs to be done, they are doing it and it’s good for morale for the staff as well.
‘Ideally, we’ll keep this going as long as the crisis lasts. We are into nearly all the parishes and the town itself so hopefully we nearly have everyone covered that needs the service’.
Michael Dwyer of the Gorey Community Support Group said that the volunteers are indebted to the Redmonds.
‘Tommy Redmond, for a man that is so busy with building and the hotel industry, he’s making the time every evening bringing the bags of meals out to the volunteers. It really is astounding that he has given us such backing, and they are putting themselves at the heart of the community in this effort to stir positivity in our town’.
Having started the community support group just over two weeks ago now, Mr Dwyer has seen a high level of interest from volunteers.
‘We’ve had loads of volunteers right across the town and district come forward and it’s really positive to see. Whether it’s businesses, clubs, individuals – everyone is in it for the right reasons and has the same mindset.
‘Whether it be the local rugby or GAA club, the gardaí, community alert groups, community nurses – we are all trying to look out for people at this difficult time; we’re trying to make sure that those who are in need in our community are taken care of,’ he said.
‘We’ve had grocery runs and meal deliveries, it’s all part of the same and it’s such an easy service to organise as so many people want to help out. We have meals going out to 120 people all throughout the week. In terms of our volunteers, we have some who are out of work, teachers, some working from home and everyone is just itching to show support in whatever way they can.
‘The people we are delivering to so deeply appreciate what we’re doing, we can’t underestimate it. These people might be used to meeting people in the evening, and even if they are only seeing us for 30 seconds, a smile comes across their face when they see the car pull up.
‘This is a very difficult and unprecedented time – that is stated over and over again. It’s quite easy for fear to set in as you have to remain in your house and be isolated, but these volunteers really are a ray of shining light for people, said Mr Dwyer.
‘There are some people that just don’t have family here, they live alone and they might have family in Dublin or abroad; they may be worried about how their family will survive without them around and just to know that there’s a community wrapping around them and helping them with the basic necessities of food and medicine, it really is such a relief for families’.
Meals are prioritised to those unable to cook for themselves or do not have family or friends around them. If you or someone you know may benefit from this service, call or text 087 9770497.
EVEN IF PEOPLE ARE ONLY SEEING US FOR 30 SECONDS, A SMILE COMES ACROSS THEIR FACE WHEN THEY SEE THE CAR PULL UP