Arva Hen's Shed to take part in Christmas Care Package initiative

The Arva Hen’s Shed are taking part in a Christmas fundraising event for Lisdarn Transitional Care Centre.

They are among many Hen’s Sheds throughout the county that are taking part in the initiative to deliver care packages to the elderly and sick in Lisdarn to bring them a little bit of joy this Christmas.

“The guys in the Hen’s Shed had shared it far and wide in fairness to them,” said Caoimhe Mackey who is one of the organisers of the event.

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The event itself was the brainchild of Gráinne Mackey the Chief Nurse Manager (CNM) at Lisdarn Transitional Care Centre and has been for six years

Gráinne has been working as a Nurse since she started training in the Mater Hospital in Dublin in 1998.

Speaking to the Longford Leader about how the Christmas Care Package project came about Gráinne said:
“The reason was that we are not a Long-term care or residential facility so we don't qualify for one of those care packages from CarePacks.ie, which is a national programme that was started.

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“While we joined it a couple of years ago and then said we weren’t residential they said they’d include us this year but no, nothing further” explained Gráinne.

“Last year all I had for the patients was chocolate.”

Gráinne decided to take this problem into her own hands.

“This year both myself and my daughter decided that I would have to try and do something.”

That something was Lisdarn’s Christmas Care Package.

Caoimhe, Gráinne’s daughter spoke on what the initiative entailed.

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“My mam was telling me about how they weren't entitled to it and I thought well that’s really sad because some people who are in Lisdarn over Christmas might not have family.

“People come in with very little and they are waiting for long-term care.

“So, essentially we said look people are so good around here, we’ll throw together a few packs for whoever’s in there,” she explained.

The reaction has been phenomenal people from across the county have stepped up to support the girls and their project.

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“We don’t know at Christmas who’s going to be there but people have been so good.

“We’ve been inundated with people, like the Arva Hen’s Shed and others as there’s connections between all the Hen’s Sheds.

“And we’ve had people from Arva and Kilnaleck, from all far and wide contacting us.”

The community turn out has been massive Gráinne has seen people all across the county donating to the care packages.

“I have had numerous people like Hen Shed’s who gave been on to me and then just through word of mouth and at home and I’ve had people who’ve had relations in Lisdarn donate and then some of the staff are donating as well."

Sheelin Nursing home that sits on the Cavan Meath border have also decided to support Gráinne and Caoimhes cause.

The donations from all the contributors are just starting to come in, some people are even handcrafting gifts.

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“The donations are starting to come in.

“I had another lady ringing me and she was after crocheting a blanket for a bed and she asked would it be suitable.

“So between myself and Caoimhe we’re getting phone calls all the time,” remarked Gráinne.

“If we have excess, as we have patients in all the time who have very little so if there is any excess it will go to them so nothing will be wasted,” She concluded.

The Lisdarn Transitional Care centre sits just 20 minutes by car outside of Arva. If anyone is interested in donating towards the Lisdarn Christmas Care Package cause can do so by going to the Arva Hen’s Shed facebook for more information.