Knocknagoshel Over 55’s Club & Women’s Group

KNOCKNAGOSHEL Community Centre is the base for a voluntary group which runs a Social Centre for 50 older people three days a week. They operate their own wheelchair accessible community minibus. They deliver a mealson-wheels service to over 60 people five days each week. They cater for funeral receptions, Christenings, retirement parties and other social events. They also run classes. They employ 12 local part-time staff and give employment to four other people on TUS and RSS schemes. The group is managed and operated by a committee of volunteers, and rely on support from the HSE and local fundraising. Encouraging and motivating their staff and volunteers is never an issue; their commitment to their services is unwavering. However, they endeavour to ensure that they value and recognise the contribution of both staff and volunteers. They foster links with the community and volunteers receive a degree of personal satisfaction from their contributions. Knocknagoshel village is 15 km from the nearest town, Castleisland, 29 km from Kerry University Hospital and 10 km from Abbeyfeale. Local Link provide a shopping service to Castleisland, but as it’s not door-to-door it’s not accessible to the majority of older people. However, the group operate their own accessible minibus for clients. There is no other group providing Day Care services such as this in the area. Since 1994, the group has operated a range of services that have brought social inclusion for the marginalized. Over the past 25 years, the services have grown from a basic Over 55’s Club run by unqualified volunteers to a fully staffed day centre providing a social outlet to very fragile older people.