Tesco grant helps fight loneliness in Fermanagh

Connect Fermanagh was created in 2020 as a response to the Covid lockdown and recruited over 50 telephone volunteers to connect with lonely and mostly elderly service users.

“We live in one of the most rural and least populated counties in Northern Ireland and even after the pandemic, the community felt there was still a need not only for the telephone service but also for face-to-face activities to combat loneliness and isolation,” said project coordinator Briege McRory.

Currently, the program relies on the help of 26 volunteers and in the past four years has benefitted almost 200 service users. The project tries to match volunteers and service users so they can have something in common to talk about and have a nicer conversation. Connect Fermanagh volunteers make over 45 calls per week and promote at least four events per year, including special dates in Autumn, Spring and Christmas.

Connect Fermanagh service users and volunteers enjoyed a day of gardening and friendship last month

“We always have a meal together or at least tea and scones, and different activities, such as crafts and presentations from local school choirs. In one of the events, service users even enjoyed a session with a singing tutor!

“Now with the grant from Tesco, we can afford transportation for the events. So many of our service users have mobility difficulties or disabilities and it can be a real challenge to get them to our activities. Now we can bring in a range of transport providers to help us, including Fermanagh Rural Community Transport, minibuses and even escorts for service users in wheelchairs to get them back into their homes,” Briege said.

The grant has also been used to sweeten their gatherings: “Normally our lunches consist of soup or sandwiches, and now we can offer traybakes and dessert too” she added.

To make a donation to the group, please visit www.connectfermanagh.org

Connect Fermanagh service users and volunteers enjoyed a day of gardening and friendship last month

The Stronger Starts scheme, in partnership with the Groundwork charity, aims to support many Northern Ireland community projects and good causes in the coming years, with thousands of pounds to give away.

Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “We’re delighted that we can help groups like Connect Fermanagh. Stronger Starts invites our customers to use their blue tokens to vote for local schemes they feel will benefit people of all ages, and it’s so good to see the impact that the funding makes.”

Fermanagh shoppers can support their local groups and charities by dropping the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store.

For further information please go to https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk