Colleagues say thanks to Anne on retirement
STAFF, volunteers and the Board of Directors of Easi-Access Transport gathered in Bray on Friday to bid farewell and to thank their General Manager Anne Rorke on her retirement from the company.
Anne served the organisation for over 14 years and along with a hard working team and Board of Directors, developed two strong community-focused programmes.
The current chair, Tony Regan spoke of Anne’s tenacity, loyalty and dedication to the mission and goals of the organisation.
Then Vaughan Dodd, the immediate past chairman lauded Anne’s single mindedness, helpful demeanour and cheerfulness as she executed her role.
Jerry Murphy, director and co-founder reminisced about the start-up phase of Easi Access Travel, the wheelchair accessible transport service, when it operated only one vehicle in 2002.
He spoke about the strong support from Bray Area Partnership and of their survey in 2006, which identified loneliness and isolation as the key concerns for older people, who live alone.
Jerry and his wife Betty, along with Bray Area Partnership and with the backing of other community groups, set up the second programme, HomeLink.
This programme enables older people to continue to remain living in their own homes for longer and provides vital community supports through its call centre and maintenance services.
Tony Regan commented that it may be difficult to envisage the organisation without such a strong character as Anne at the helm, but he was confident that these two community programmes will continue to develop and expand to respond to the needs of people and help them to remain active and independent in their communities.
If you know of anyone, who could benefit from participation in the community by using an affordable wheelchair accessible transport service, contact Easi- Cab Travel Club at 01 2765488, or if your neighbour relation or friend would like calls or the installation of supports (such as grab rails or alarm pendants), contact HomeLink at 01 2014473.