Newbridge Rotary in Ireland was quick out of the blocks to support its community in the wake of COVID-19.
Rotarian James Deeges said that they were keen to forge partnerships with key members of the community, including the police, to provide support.
He said: “When Ireland and the world were taken by surprise by the magnitude of the spread of coronavirus, our members realised that we needed to do something that was appropriate and helpful and, very early on.
“Rotary Newbridge created the COVID-19 Community Assist Project to aid the elderly and vulnerable, in association with Kildare County Council and An Garda Soichana.”
James explained that the Rotary club has been working in several areas to support the community. They have been working with several pharmacies in the town to collect and deliver prescriptions to those cocooned at home.
“For these people, we also offered to help them get their weekly groceries and gave them the number of our Rotary phone to call if they needed help,” added James.
“We also created a list of people to call daily just to ensure they were all right.”
Over Easter, Newbridge Rotary worked with Tesco’s, Dunnes, and Comerford Bakeries who gave donated items to put together 112 Easter treat hampers, which were delivered to the elderly.
The Rotary club has also worked with local café owner, Dora May, who has since joined the club. Dora came up with the idea of providing hot meals for the elderly and vulnerable in our community.
Rotary Newbridge created the COVID-19 Community Assist Project to aid the elderly and vulnerable, in association with Kildare County Council and An Garda Soichana.”
“By working with her and three other commercial Health & Safety Executive-approved and Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point compliant kitchens, we have produced two hot meals a week and delivered them to 75 people at no cost to those who received them.
“We were however able to keep the project going with their kind donations.”
The kitchens and restaurants involved were; Dora May’s Café, All Seasons Restaurant Limerick Lane, Harte’s of Kildare town, and Stepping Stones in Newbridge.
In total, they have delivered 2,000 meals during the pandemic.
