An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 10 | VETERAN'S NEWS VETERAN'S NEWS VETERAN'S NEWS I na Doyle and I started the clonmel community soup kitchen in 2013 from the boots of our cars. I had previously worked with the Volunteer centre south tipperary and had worked on the refurbishment of the Railway station in clonmel along with michael haslam and Johnny O'callaghan, members of IUNVA post 24. It was because of this that we approached IUNVA Post 24 for assistance with the Soup Kitchen as the numbers attending were growing and it was no longer viable to do it from the boot of a car. The lads quickly came on board, stressing the historical role of the army in Clonmel, and how the soldiers have always provided assistance to the town in the event of flooding and especially at Christmas time. From this meeting a relationship developed where Post 24, through the Café, was able to assist the Soup Kitchen by giving us the premises for three hours every Friday night. The Soup Kitchen was also involved with distributing food donations locally through FoodCloud. Paddy Hackett and Johnny O'Callaghan, Seamus Cagney and other members of Post 24 also became involved in these deliveries, which are made six days per week in the areas of Clonmel Carrick-on-Suir, Cahir and Cashel. As the Soup Kitchen grew and more people used the service, Post 24 decided to further support us on Tuesday evenings also. Now donations from FoodCloud are distributed from Post 24 each Tuesday night and Post 24 also share part of their store room with the Soup Kitchen. Last year a nomination form was sent in to the 2016 Volunteer Ireland Awards, nominating the work of Ina Doyle and highlight- ing the assistance of Post 24 in the running of the Soup Kitchen. Without the premises being donated by Post 24, the Soup Kitchen could not have happened. When Ina went to the awards ceremony in City Hall, Dublin, in December 2016, Post 24 were invited as the main sponsor and host of the Soup Kitchen. Ina won a Volunteer Ireland Award in the Social Work category, out of nearly 500 nominations. The Soup kitchen now provides meals two evenings per week, delivers food and collects donations from local supermarkets six day per week, supporting over 65 families. It caters for 40 people for Christmas dinner each year and provides donated food par- cels during the Christmas period. The role of IUNVA Post 24, particularly through its chairman, Paddy Hackett, committee member Johnny O'Callaghan, and member Seamus Cagney, was instrumental in providing this service. by AMANDA QUIGLEY, PEER EDUCATOR, RECOVERY COLLEGE SOUTH EAST PHoToS by CPL LEE COYLE The Clonmel Community Soup Kitchen & IUNVA Post 24 IUNVA Post 24 Chairman Paddy Hacket and Ina Doyle Pictured (L/R): IUNVA Post 24 Chairman Paddy Hacket, Seamus Cagney, Ina Doyle, Amanda Quigley, John Lyons and Johnny O'Callaghan

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