Health

Meetings, once almost always an in-person affair for all sections of society, changed dramatically in the pandemic, suddenly becoming entirely virtual affairs. Community groups and organisations up and down Ireland found their means of communication cut very suddenly. Most adapted quite quickly and largely successfully. But five and half years since Covid emerged the dust is still settling to some extent. That’s certainly the case for Tullamore Toastmasters who held their first fully in person meeting since the pandemic in September.

There are 14 drug and alcohol task forces in the country and Trevor Bissett, co-ordinator of Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force, believes that the worst impacts of drug use are still disproportionately felt in the disadvantaged areas served by the task forces. However, new approaches are helping families in one area. In Clondalkin, The Drive Project aims to support people suffering from drug related intimidation and violence. It is, says Trevor, a serious attempt to help people in a difficult situation, people who may owe significant sums to unscrupulous, violent dealers. It sounds like the kind of service that other communities also need. As Trevor explains, “Community projects are there to give support, they’re able to support the person individually. It’s not a great situation, if you have a huge drug debt, but at least if you are talking to someone about the issue, you might be able to get some perspective on it and some support around it."

Recently, Changing Ireland reported on the board game Letter Lingo, created by community workers in Co. Leitrim, and now much in demand. Equally of note, the award-winning No Shame Board Game, launched in 2022, is helping young Travellers to talk about their mental health.

Last year, a 180-page book titled - 'Commitment, Collaboration & Continuity: Celebrating Cork as a Healthy City' was launched to mark the first decade of the city’s involvement in the World Health Organisation’s Healthy Cities initiative. You can now get your hands on it for free.

Maria Young is the co-ordinator of a project that has helped to set up 25 (and counting) community gardens around the city. Recently, she won a Lord Mayor's Civic Award for sustainability for her work with Green Spaces for Health under the Cork Healthy Cities banner. Maria first became involved in environmental work as a volunteer.

Limerick might be out of the hurling this year, but they recently made it onto the World Health Organisation (WHO) list of healthy cities, joining Waterford and Galway alongside long-standing success stories Cork, Derry and Belfast.

Volunteering in her local community garden has helped Mandie Rekaby get through some very rough times over the last couple of years. Community gardens have flourished in Cork City over the last few years, and Mandie is the lead volunteer at Togher Community Garden, very near where she lives and grew up. And now 90 people a month are involved in Togher's garden.

One page amidst a 906 page planning document augurs well for Ireland’s community gardeners and those aspiring to have one in their area, because it for the first time obliges local authorities to support such initiatives. Since last year, Ireland has a renewed Planning and Development Act which officially defines community gardening for the first time.