Garveys: ‘We’ll mind your kids’

THERE’S been an extraordinary reaction to an offer by one Listowel supermarket to provide a safe and warm space for any students who might need a place to wait before getting collected for home.

Over 10,000 people had viewed the plea by Garvey’s Supervalu within an hour of it being posted on social media last Wednesday. Within two days that number had soared to more than 30,000 with customer after customer applauding staff instore for the supermarket’s generous gesture.

It’s come as great publicity for the store, but the plea is not about increasing sales, manager Paul O’Connor insisted.

The primary concern is exactly as stated - the welfare of local students and their families, of a community he said has been long served by the Kerry family firm.

Garvey’s Facebook post stated: “With the evenings getting darker and the winter closing in we want all our kids to be safe and warm. Please pass it on to your children that if they miss the bus or anything is wrong to come to our store and we will get in touch with their parents or guardians for them.

“They can stay with us to be picked up in a safe and comfortable environment. Just make sure they are safe and warm. Regards from Paul and all the staff in Garveys.”

Paul said the store couldn’t get over the response. “It’s been phenomenal. It came about as one of our staff saw that a store up country was doing it and we decided to put it out here too as we thought it was such a good idea.

“Well over 30,000 had seen it by Friday and even if just one or two students avail of it it will have achieved what we set out to achieve with it. There’s a couple of benches here outside the Post Office and they can sit here as long as they like in the dry and warmth,” Paul said.