There has been a positive development in relation to the future of the 1428 Active Retirement Club in Mullingar, with staff funded by Pobal until the end of 2014.
By Damien Maher
There were genuine fears that Government cutbacks would threaten the future of staff at the club, which provides a major outlet for elderly people in Mullingar and surrounding areas. However, Pobal, which was set up in 1992 and manages various funding programmes on behalf of the Irish government, has confirmed, after a successful review that it will fund five staff members at the club until the end of the year, and thereafter, they are hopeful of securing funding for the next three years.
“It’s great news,” said Debbie Daly, Coordinator at the club, when speaking to Topic.
“The level of activity would certainly be curtailed here if we did not have the staff. Computer training, for example, would decrease; we have two qualified IT teachers at present, who hold computer classes on a daily basis,” she explained.
And another significant development for the club came when they purchased their own premises at No. 2 Harbour Street, Mullingar. They are the only community group in Ireland to succeed with this.
“We were located in Dominick Street and then in Bishopsgate Street, but now we have our own premises here in Harbour Street. It’s great; we are now entirely self sufficient and mortgage free. We are the only community group to achieve this and fundraising has played a huge part in it,” she said.
The club also relied on the goodwill of the Mullingar community, with several local businesses helping them to renovate their new premises. Mullingar Hardware, Kilmurray’s, Lakeshore Bathroom and Tiles, Gerry Ormsby Electrical, Mullingar Glass, Tommy Daly, Martin Tormey, Liam Boylan, John Daly, Stephen Daly, Shane and Siobhan Rowan, David Fulham, Eddie Gaye and Mick Dunne all helped to ensure the building was revamped.
“We are deeply indebted to the local businesses and tradesmen who came to our assistance. They have been excellent and it’s great that they played such a major part in putting this facility in place for the Mullingar community,” remarked Debbie.
SUPPORT
Currently around 15,000 elderly people use the Mullingar 1428 Club each year. A wide range of activities are catered for, including light exercise sessions, healthy eating, crafts, card games, arts, crochet and darts.
“There’s also advocacy and support for elderly people, those who need assistance with things like filling out forms. But the important thing is, there is something on here every day for elderly people,” explained Debbie.
The Mullingar 1428 Club is also a regional centre for social monitored alarms. This is a senior alert scheme and is very important for elderly residents of Mullingar and surrounding areas.
“Elderly people know there will be a response if they become ill and it’s very important for them to have that reassurance,” commented Debbie.
The 1428 Club continues to provide a vital service to Mullingar some 16 years after a survey by Jack Kiernan identified the need for the facility. Its future is looking a lot brighter now after some uncertainty earlier in the year.
“The club was never going to close because we have our own premises, but the staff funding is vital in order for us to continue providing the service for the elderly,” added Debbie.
Fundraising 5k event
Fundraising plays a crucial role in the very survival of the 1428 Club and they hold events such as coffee mornings and flag days in order to survive. Next Sunday, 10 August, they are holding their 5k event, which starts at the Harbour Bridge, Mullingar, taking a route out as far as the Newbrook Nursing Home and back. Registration is at 10.30 am at No. 2 Harbour Street, the home of the 1428 Club, with the event getting underway at 12 noon. There are prizes for the first runner and walker home.
