Duhallow Community Laundry

Pat O’Neill utilises our delivery service every week, and enjoys the humour Anita brings with her to the role. For many service users, meeting people is just as important as the service itself. Duhallow Community Laundry has been operating since 2014. Set up to meet the needs as identified by our Saoi and Carers Networks, we have an established client base which is increasing all the time.

The target of the service includes the Elderly, Lone Parents, Carers, recipients of Family Income Supplement, the Unemployed, recipients of Disability, recipients of Farm Assist, and participants from our schemes such as Tús, Rural Social Scheme and Community Employment.

It continues to be our mission to provide a top-quality affordable service. The Social Economy model, which provides affordable services to people in necessitate circumstances, has never been more needed than it is today, with the cost of living soaring. With an influx of Ukrainian refugees to Duhallow, our service has been working with the centres in Banteer and Millstreet as well as individuals staying in private accommodation.

Supervisor Anita Castle, ensures the high standard of the service is maintained. As part of her duties, she carries out regular quality control checks across all our processes.

Governance

The Social Economy Working Group under the guidance of the Chair Mary Wallace oversee the objectives of this social enterprise and were a great support in ensuring we stayed operational during COVID-19 whilst also keeping in constant contact with our clients and assisting them with any needs such as delivering prescriptions and groceries. The working group are now prioritising the huge community response to the

Ukrainian crisis in any way we can.

The working group are very cognisant of the fact that investment and upgrading of equipment is necessary and with the substantial increase in overheads and materials the price list was reviewed, and it was deemed necessary to increase price points to safeguard the enterprise.

Funding

POBAL, on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Community Services Programme (CSP) provides funding towards staffing of one manager and two full time equivalents. The CSP aims to tackle disadvantage by providing a co-funding contribution towards the cost of employment.

We welcomed the good news last year when Mr. Joe O Brien TD, Minister of State, announced that Community Services Programmes would receive operational funding towards costs for light & heat, insurance and audit fees specifically for 2021. This was most welcome as funding towards operational costs had been discontinued by the government since 2009.

Last year our application for National Lottery Funding of €5,000 was successful, this money was used to purchase two professional Ironing Boards, with stream generator, Active Ironing board with suction and inflation function. These will be a great addition to the service, and we would like to express our gratitude to the HSE for this funding and to the CSP for their support.

Staffing

Anita Castle leads our team in Duhallow Community Laundry with Margaret Murphy, Joan Sheehan and Christine Sheehan ensuring the service provided is second to none. Without the support of the Community Services Programme, Rural Social Scheme, Tus, and CE activation schemes who all support the staffing of this service, it would be unsustainable.

Any staff that join from schemes gain excellent on the job skills whilst working in Duhallow Community Laundry such as scheduling, cash reconciliation, stock taking and customer care to name but a few. Duhallow community laundry falls under the umbrella of IRD Duhallow, and thus can avail of plenty additional supports when required. This ensures community enterprises like ours can avail of advice, mentoring and guidance when needed.

Mary Wallace Chairperson of the Social Economy Working Group has been guiding the laundry as well as our other social enterprises throughout COVID 19 pandemic. The fantastic Duhallow Community Laundry Team who consist of Joan, Anita, Christine and Margaret who are all committed to delivering a top-class laundry service with great customer care.

Dan Sheahan calls to our accessible laundry premises in the James O Keeffe weekly. Our staff are always on hand to meet people at their cars or provide a delivery to their homes.

Testimony – Maura O’Connor

The ladies in Duhallow Community Laundry look after me so well collecting my laundry every week, it’ s a good feeling to know I have clean clothes in the wardrobe at all times and also to open the hot press and smell the fresh smell of the crisp sheets, the ironed pillow cases and the soft towels. Thank you IRD Duhallow, well done.

Duhallow Community Food Services

Linda O Connor, Catering Supervisor In 2021 Linda O'Connor was appointed as Catering Supervisor of Duhallow Community Food Services. Linda is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business. She holds a higher certificate in Arts & Culinary Arts, a diploma in in Professional Cookery along with a QQI level 6 in supervisory management. Linda has been in the catering industry for more than 16 years and brings a wealth of knowledge from working in both the public, private and healthcare sector.

Linda together with a team of supervisors (Administration; Olive Casey, Transport and Distribution; Neily O Flynn, Kitchen; Noreen Relihan, School Catering; Mary O Connell, Restaurant; Mark Sugrue, Bakery; Denise O Mahony) are committed to the philosophy and beliefs of DCFS which are to provide a quality product and exceptional service to all customers and to ensure this is never compromised.

About Duhallow Community Food Services (DCFS)

In operation since 1994, DCFS has been providing an essential service to the elderly population of the region. Our primary aim to meet the needs of the elderly through the provision of a hot meals service at an affordable price, which necessitated us engaging in a wide mix of commercial activity such as its restaurant and outside catering services, in order to subvent the demand deficiencies of our core business. While DCFS receives staffing funding from CSP and a smaller grant from the HSE there is still is large shortfall to make up. Finances have become increasingly difficult with rising costs, and this puts the service under additional financial pressure.

DCFS staff Charlene Drumm, Mark Sugrue and Marguerite O’ Connor with IRD Duhallow Board Member Geraldine O’Leary & staff member Helen O’Sullivan at the Millstreet Intercultural Festival held in the town park where DCFS catered for the crowd with our new mobile BBQ.

Bakery Supervisor Denise O’ Mahony, with Ruth O Sullivan, and Marina Pavlova preparing desserts for our cake display in the restaurant.

Joan Murphy and Marie Forrest enjoying a cuppa in the restaurant at DCFS. The restaurant is a great meeting spot for seniors to meet and socialise as well as availing of affordable meals. DCFS Staff: Back. Neily O Flynn (Transport Supervisor) Mary O Connell (School Meal Supervisor) Sarah Cronin, John Daly, Charlene Alvis, Vincent O Sullivan, Tom Healy, Julie Messmer, Paul O Connor and Kathleen O Connor. Front. Ruth O Sullivan, Denise O Mahony (Bakery Supervisor) Olive Casey (Meals Co-Ordinator) Linda O Connor (Catering Supervisor), Marina Pavola, Amarachi Ogbuji.

Rural Meals Service

Neily O Flynn (Transport Supervisor) and Olive Casey (Meals on Wheels Food CoOrdinator) organising routes for meal deliveries.

provides a continuum of care services that enables older people to remain living in the community or to return to their own homes after hospitalisation.

The service is a vital source of social contact and connectivity for many older people who are vulnerable to social exclusion and social isolation. In 2021 DCFS produced and delivered 38,000 meals to senior citizens and those not in a position to cook for themselves throughout the Duhallow region.

Our belief is, and evidence has shown that the rural meals service is a critical component in improving older people ’ s nutritional status, health, and quality of life. It also

Aiden Creedon, Paul O Connor, Pat Murphy, Tom Healy, Vincent O Sullivan, Julie Messmer and Neily O Flynn (Transport Supervisor) drivers getting ready for delivery runs to deliver meals to the elderly.

Tom Healy delivering a meal to Joan O Sullivan, Glantane. The meals-on-wheels service caters for the nutritional requirements of older people who may be considered among the most vulnerable of the community-dwelling population. It is critical, therefore, that the service provided is of the highest quality.

Our mission is to tackle rural isolation by providing a hot, nutritious, food delivery service to vulnerable people in the greater Duhallow area.

Meals on wheels services are available Monday to Friday with an option of chilled meals to cover the weekend and bank holiday periods. Special diets are also catered for.

Clients can also avail of a senior ’ s hot meal service from our DCFS