The Devenish Partnership Forum teamed up with Rooney’s Eurospar and Costcutter Cornagrade Road to put together care packages with essential supplies for the elderly and those most in need during the current crisis.

In a post on the community organisation’s Facebook page, a spokesman for the Devenish Partnership Forum said: “Just because our shutters are down doesn’t mean our staff hasn’t been working hard. We have been very lucky to have received a grant to help those in need around our community.”

Staff at the Devenish Partnership Forum delivered all the available packages in the Kilmacormick and Cornagrade areas of Enniskillen at the end of last week.

“We are working hard every day on new applications for more funding so please be patient as we hope to get more packages out to those in need very soon,” the spokesman added.

In Irvinestown, on the closing of his takeaway Joe 90s, Raymond McBrien donated meals to those most in need. The ARC Healthy Living Centre organised for volunteers from Dalradian NI to deliver the meals, 80 in total, to people self isolating and children in receipt of free school meals. On their Twitter page the ARC Healthy Living Centre shared feedback from one of the meals recipients, an older lady with disabilities who lives alone. Sharing what the lady had said, the ARC posted: “I thought I had no family, but Irvinestown is my family, can’t thank you enough for your kindness.”

Natasha Dane from Lisbellaw has been raising money online to donate hand creams to NHS staff. “So far I’ve raised £220 and sent the first batch to the hospital, district nurses and Clare House at Chanterhill,” Natasha told this newspaper, adding: “As the staff need to wash their hands constantly through this crisis they will continue to need more creams so I am asking if people can continue to donate. Each cream costs £5 and for every four creams that people donate, I am donating another one myself.”

Fermanagh Community Transport are offering free pick-up and delivery services for members and non-members to support those in ‘shielding’ and ‘home isolation’.

The services they are offering include; collection and delivery of pre-paid shopping, collection and delivery of pre-arranged prescriptions and essential rural transport only.

To avail of the service call Fermanagh Community Transport on 02866324260 or email info@fermanaghcommunitytransport.com between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

When asked what action Fermanagh and Omagh District Council plan to take in making sure that Fermanagh’s elderly, vulnerable and most impoverished residents have enough food and essentials during this crisis, a spokesman for the Council said: “There are a number of regional supports which have been established in response to the current crisis which the Council hopes to complement. One such support taken forward by the Minister for Communities is the Covid 19 Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Leadership Group (ELG) established on Friday 20 March. The ELG will focus on mobilising the sector in support of the Executive and provide feedback to Departments on what is needed. At a regional level the Health and Social Care Trusts have been designated as the lead authorities with responsibility for the community mobilisation emergency response within their areas.”

He continued: “Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is working to support the Western Health and Social Care Trust in this regard. The Council will be working with the community and voluntary sector in its district around funding support for the sector, access to medicine, access to food and connectivity in regard to those living alone.”

“The Council will be working to maintain critical services and is seeking to actively redeploy staff who are not currently engaged in critical and frontline service delivery to support these areas to ensure a level of resilience across its operations. This will include supporting the mobilisation and co-ordination of the community and voluntary sector response to the current emergency situation.

“In respect of its duty of care to its employees, the Council will be taking account of limitations across its workforce in terms of underlying health conditions and responsibilities for other vulnerable household members. The Council is also considering offering assistance to the Western Health and Social Care Trust in terms of Human Resource redeployment where such resources are available after ensuring that the Council’s own requirements are met to ensure the delivery of its critical services,” the Council spokesman concluded.

PLEASE NOTE

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