Tramore Community Care – Meals on Wheels

Major highlights and Brief History
1972: District Nurse Miss Una Kent instigated a Meals on Wheels Service. It started with 4 senior citizens (Meals delivered) and Meals were prepared at the Convent of the Irish Sisters of Charity. Following on from this at a public meeting it was agreed to establish a permanent service. The service grew rapidly, and a committee was
formed.
1973: St. Canice’s Hospital in Kilkenny offered facilities at their Holiday Home, Windsor House, Summerhill, and all meals were prepared there until May 1974.
1974: Committee acquired former Fire Station in Patrick St on a temporary basis from WCC, which was renovated and equipped by volunteers. By Sept 1974, 45 senior citizens were benefitting from the Service. The next service was a recreation centre, Tramore Town Commissioners granted two afternoons per week in Tramore House for this purpose.
On Tuesday and Saturday afternoons more than 35 senior citizens gathered, chatting, playing cards, lectures, film shows and slides, singsongs, and every so often musicians attended to great applause. The greatest indication of the positive response of the people of Tramore is the fact that by the end of 1974 over 500 people on average were subscribing weekly to TCC funds. This represented a substantial percentage of the adult population of the Town at that time and was voluntary.
1974: Tramore Town Commissioners granted permission for a site (which was part of Tramore House) on Pond Road. A grant of €35000 was requested from the SEHB. The centre was built with local fundraising (as above) and there started the humble beginnings of what we now have.
1978: The service moved to Pond Road and operated successfully.
2001: A fire severely damaged the Centre which was then restored to its original state.
2004: The committee decided to upgrade the premises, and the result of that decision is the premises we currently have. Planning application was lodged in 2006 which included work to the ground floor, basement, and a refit of the kitchen. It also included a lift shaft, and the upper level (attic) was to be developed into a “Drop-in
Centre” to provide the type of service we had in place in Tramore House in 1974.
2008: A total of €658,000 was spent on the upgrade (Phase 1) with financial support received from the Dept of the Environment, POBAL and the HSE. Unfortunately, due to lack of funds the attic conversion and the installation of a lift had to be postponed and has now been reactivated as Phase 2 in 2022.
2022: In April, the Dept of Rural and Community Development launched the Community Centres Investment Fund (CCIF), categories 1, 2 and 3. We are proposing to make a category 3 application (max amount is €300,000). A planning application to this effect was lodged on 2 June 2022 by our architect Mr David Smyth. Matching funds of 5% from the applicant is required. In this category a maximum of 16 grants will be awarded nationally. Planning permission was granted in August 2022 with no special conditions. However, following submissions by a Quantity Surveyor, it was established that the total cost of the project would be approximately €480,000, far
more than what TCC could afford (even allowing for the Maximum grant of €300,000). We will proceed to raise funds for this project and as the planning permission is valid for 5 years and another 5 years on request. We hope we can re-activate this project in the future. This development will enable us to increase our service, keeping the Centre useable, accessible, and safe to meet future demands bearing in mind an ageing population going forward. During the Covid period the Centre continued to operate without disruption. However, we concentrated on our core service i.e. Meals on Wheels and temporarily suspended all other activities.
2024: We ere asked to expand our service outside of the general Tramore area. This will involve obtaining a delivery vehicle and the recruitment of at least 2 drivers.
2025: We now plan to install Solar PV panels to provide all our energy needs for the future leading to savings of between €4000 to €5000 annually. The cost of this installation is €38,000

As well as a “Meals on Wheels service” The committee offer the following services:
– Weekly Bingo / Twice weekly Whist
– Annual Summer outings
– Christmas party (highly popular) with entertainment
– A sub-committee has been formed to develop and introduce additional services.,

Other Community Groups
As in the past, other Community groups will be encouraged to avail of our facilities for meetings and social events. Groups who have availed of the facility currently include:
– Active Retirement Group
– Bible reading
– Arch Club
– Art group (Seniors)
– Resident associations
– Slimming Ireland
– Zumba Dancing