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For information about the AGM on 4th October 2021, and the report for 2020/21 go to AGM 2021: The 2020/21 Report
Category Archives: Age Friendly Town
AGM 2021: The 2020/21 Report
This year, the annual report about the work of the Skerries Community Association and its committees will not be distributed to every household in Skerries. A limited number of printed copies will be available in the Community Centre, in local shops, in the week before the AGM (4th October 2021) and on request by email to chair@skerriesca.com.
Click on the thumbnail below to see the full report with turnable pages.
Skerries Community Association & Committees 2020/21 Report
And if you’d like the links to be clickable, open the PDF here:
Jim Quigley Award 2021
Recognition of couple’s volunteering contribution to Skerries life.
On Saturday 9 October 2021 Skerries Community Association (SCA) and Skerries Town Football Club jointly recognised the immense contribution of Michael (Mick) and Noeleen Bolger to community sporting activity in the town. The occasion was the presentation of the Jim Quigley award for volunteer of the year and it took place in the grounds of Skerries Town FC after the weekly Kids Academy coaching session.
Every year SCA invites nominations from residents for the Jim Quigley Award which are then passed to independent judges for assessment.
This year the Judges selected Mick and Noeleen as the winners of the Jim Quigley Award for their years of dedicated work with Skerries Town Football Club. In their written comments, the judges said, “running Saturday morning coaching sessions (the Kids Academy) for up to ninety under-tens for seven months of the year is not an easy task. To do this for eighteen years coupled with involvement with other sporting and community activities including the Community Games at Mosney and the Special Olympics at Croke Park in 2003 requires dedication and commitment second to none.”
Mick and Noeleen set up the ‘ Kid’s Academy” on Saturday mornings with Skerries Town Football Club in September 2003 to provide coaching in basic football skills for five to nine year olds. They felt that children in the early years of their football life need an environment of non-competitive football to learn the basic skills. The Kid’s Academy, or KA as its better known provides such an environment.
The judges remarked that the real winner is the community of Skerries who get such wonderful benefit from the work done by people like Michael and Noeleen.
Accepting the award, Mick said that many others are and were involved in making the Kids Academy a success.
Michael McKenna presented the Jim Quigley award on behalf of the SCA and Owen O’Brien, Chairperson Skerries Town F.C. made a presentation of flowers and champagne on behalf of the club to Mick and Noeleen.
AGM 2020: The 2019/20 Report
This year, the annual report about the work of the Skerries Community Association and its committees will not be distributed to every household in Skerries. A limited number of printed copies will be available from 10/10/2020 in the Community Centre, in local shops, and on request by email to chair@skerriesca.com.
Click on the thumbnail below to see the full report with turnable pages.
SCA and Committees: Our 2019/20 Report
And if you’d like the links to be clickable, open the PDF here:
COVID-19 Help Information
Self-Isolation Skerries volunteer group
- Are you self-isolating owing to health concerns from the Coronavirus?
- Home alone and unable to go to the shops / chemists?
If so, we are here to help.
We are a group of local Skerries residents, working with the Skerries Community Association and Age Friendly Skerries, willing to help you.
Our services include:
- Shopping service / collection
- Prescription collection
If you are in need of some assistance please text or call
085 81 28 509
083 01 05 946
Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Disclaimer:
In using this service, clients understand that this is an informal group of local volunteers. We will be strictly adhering to health guidelines as outlined by the HSE in order to protect both the volunteers, and those we will be helping, from any spread of the virus.
Leaflets with the above text are being delivered by volunteers to Skerries households from 14 to 16 March and are kindly sponsored by the Image Depot Skerries and the Skerries Community Association.
Age Friendly Skerries Community Transport Initiative
Go Car and Fingal County Council are working with Skerries Age Friendly Town to deliver a new community transport initiative for older people in the towns and hinterland of Skerries, and Howth. This pilot initiative is in response to the recent consultation & transport needs survey carried out in the area, it will run over a four-month trial period & is being supported by the Transport Coordination Unit for Louth, Meath, Fingal.
The service will enable older people to continue to be active in their community and to attend hospital, health and wellness appointments. The service will be volunteer led and will be available throughout the week and at weekends depending on availability of volunteers.
To avail of this service you need to
- Be over 55 years
- Register with Local Link (see address below)
- Book in advance by phone, text, email or transport App
Volunteer Drivers Needed
If you are retired and find that you have time to spare, why not become a volunteer driver. If you would like to help get the project started please contact us at Flexibus on 046-9074830 or at the address below
Volunteers will be provided with training and will be Garda vetted before taking to the roads.
Tel: 046 907 4830
Freephone: 1800 303 707
Local Link Louth Meath Fingal 23 Mullaghboy Industrial Estate, Mullaghboy,
Navan, Co Meath C15 WKO9
Tel: 046 907 4830 Freephone: 1800 303 707 Email: imf@locallink.ie
Age Friendly Skerries at 2017 Pride of Place competition launch
At the launch of Fingal County Council’s 2017 Pride of Place Competition, Nunce McAuley, Martin Russell and Brendan Sherlock representing Age Friendly Skerries accepted a certificate in recognition of the Skerries Age Friendly Town Initiative entry advancing to the 2016 finals.
Receiving certificate for representing Fingal in the 2016 Pride of Place finals
The event took place in The Atrium, County Hall, Swords on Tuesday, February 28th. At the event, all three groups who represented Fingal in the 2016 Pride of Place Competition were recognised for their great achievements.
Raif Costigan of Fingal County Council was MC for the evening and introduced the Mayor of Fingal Darragh Butler, Tom Dowling of Pride of Place Ireland and Paul Reid CEO Fingal County Council who spoke and congratulated all three groups who represented Fingal in the 2016 finals at the Belfast Waterfront last November.
Next up came presentations to the three groups in recognition of participating and representing Fingal. All three groups were invited to say a few words as to their experience of having participated in Pride of Place 2016. Each group were photographed and then group shots were taken.
The Tower singers entertained and refreshments were much appreciated to round off a very enjoyable evening.
Many thanks to all who organised a very pleasant evening
Age Friendly Award for Skerries Group
Skerries is a good place for people of all ages. This is the result of the work of many – including members of a Skerries initiative, who recently received an Age Friendly award.
In this picture: Back row: Brendan McNicholas 3rd Officer Dublin Fire Brigade; Eithne Mallin – FCC; Louise Edmonds – FCC; Brendan Sherlock – Skerries Community Association; AnnMarie Farrelly – FCC; Nora Owen – Chair Fingal Age Friendly Alliance; Front row: Cllr Mags Murray – Mayor of Fingal; Martin Russell – Skerries Community Association; Mary Conway Skerries Community Association; Bob McAlpine – Vice Chair Fingal Senior Citizen’s Forum Photo: Leo “George” Devitt
The picture of the Skerries / Fingal contingent at the awards ceremony gives you a good idea of the level of cooperation which made this possible. One of the results of their work is the current redevelopment of our Town Park with particular emphasis on making it an environment that is “friendly” to people of all ages.
Age Friendly Skerries is a committee of Skerries Community Association, and more initiatives are underway – keep your eyes open for updates!
The purpose of the first Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards Ceremony, held in Cavan on 20 January 2015 was “to showcase the wonderful age-friendly initiatives from around the country that have contributed to making Ireland a great place to grow old.”
Master of Ceremonies and President Elect of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Aogán O’Fearghaill said:
It is so inspiring to be here today and hear about all the wonderful work going on around the country to make Ireland make our communities more age friendly. The benefits of an age friendly approach will be felt by all members of the community, not just older people. Working towards the goal of age friendliness makes for more cohesive communities.Other projects chosen for recognition were:
- Age Friendly Transport Award – Two Partnership Approaches for Hospital Appointments in Co Meath
- Age Friendly Active and Healthy Ageing Award – Intergenerational and Creative Development at MacAuley Place, Naas, Kildare
- Age Friendly Business Award – Cavan Age Friendly Business Recognition Scheme
- Age Friendly Safety and Security Award – Foxford Safety and Security Project
- Age Friendly Communication Award – Kilkenny Age Friendly Communication Plan
- Age Friendly Community Innovation Award – Cultaca Supporting Older People, Dundalk
Skerries Town Park Public Consultation
Skerries Town Park Masterplan Consultation is underway now and closes on 27 January: As Part of Age Friendly Action Skerries, Fingal County Council is planning to improve Skerries Town Park. Plans are on display until 13 January.
From the Site Notice.
The plans for the Skerries Town Park Masterplan are available now in Swords & Balbriggan County Offices and in Skerries Library – as well as on the Fingal County Council website, from where we retrieved the documents on this page, too.
Please note that the current masterplan deals with the following aspects:
- New Play Facilities including Children’s Playground and Multi-use Games Area
- New Adult Exercise Area
- Improved Path Network including resurfacing of existing paths, additional sections of footpaths and 3 additional pedestrian entrances
- Provision of Wildlife Viewing Deck
- Reconfiguration of Sports Pitches
- Upgrading of Existing Sports Pitches
- Upgrading of Existing Sports Pitches including improving drainage
click on the map to enlarge (opens in a new tab)
The Directors of Skerries Community Association are encouraging everybody, and all groups in Skerries (especially its own committees) to take a good look at the documents and to make any views known to devplan@fingal.ie
[Fingal County Council add: All comment,s including the names and addresses of those making comments, submitted to the Council in regard to this development will form part of the statutorily required report to be presented to the monthly meeting of Fingal County Council. Accordingly they will also be included in the minutes of that meeting and consequently will appear on the Council’s Website.]
From the Report
Can you help Age Friendly Skerries?
Skerries is an Age Friendly Town, i.e. a town where the community understands and responds to the needs of older people.
In December 2013, Skerries received its Age Friendly Town Charter. As part of the process a number of activities were undertaken in the town including:
- A Walkability Survey
- Consultation days with older adults and service providers
- Audit of signage in the town
The Skerries Chamber of Commerce and Prosper Fingal Piercetown undertook to participate in the Business of Ageing programme, which is also being rolled out in the town.
Feedback from the all of this consultation was used to develop an Action Plan for the town, which will be launched shortly.
An Age Friendly Town Committee of Skerries Community Association is in the process of being established. This group will – among other things – be collating all existing relevant information; developing a new user friendly information database; and deciding on how disseminate this information to all the relevant stakeholders and older people themselves.
The Age Friendly Town Committee need your help!
Mary Conway and Brendan Sherlock of Skerries Age Friendly Town need your input.
They say:
We need people in the town to be champions for older people, especially
those who find themselves socially isolated due to health problems
Service Providers:
We need up-to-date information on your services for older people.
Clubs:
We need up-to-date information on the club. What are you doing for older people or former members and / or would you consider hosting an event for older people in the town at least once a year?
With your help we would like not only to update information in the town, but also to put together a calendar of events for older people in the town.
Please send your ideas to mary.conway@skerriesca.com or brendan.sherlock@skerriesca.com.
Age Friendly Town Skerries – A new committee!
Making Skerries a better place in which to live, work and grow old
In 2013, Fingal County Council, in association with Age Friendly Ireland, selected Skerries as the town in which to pilot the Age Friendly Town process in Fingal. This was something that Skerries Community Association had been wanting to do for many years.
The aim is to make Skerries a better place in which to live, work and grow old. As part of the process, a number of activities were carried out in the town including:
- A walkability study
- Consultation days with older adults and service providers
- An audit of signage in the town
- Participation in the “Business of Aging” programme on the part of Skerries Chamber of Commerce and Prosper Fingal.
Limerick December 2013, Skerries received its Age Friendly Town Charter
Feedback from the consultation was used to develop an action plan for the town which includes:
- The upgrade and enhancement of the Town Park making it more accessible for all.
- Roll out of OPRAH (Older People Remaining at Home) initiative by the HSE.
In conjunction with the HSE 26 people are being cared for in their own homes by the provision of extra care services. This is organised by the District Nurse, the patient’s doctor and the HSE. - Roll out of befriending programmes to alleviate social isolation.
Crosscare are organising visits to people’s home once a week for a chat for an hour where people have indicated the need for such a visit. Both the client and the visitor are visited by Crosscare first and the visitor is Garda vetted. There were 17 volunteers in August 2015, and Cross Care were in the process of getting more volunteers. - Setting up of, and support for, Carers’ Meetings in association with the Carers’ Association.
Carers meet regularly in Skerries Mills. See The Carer’s Association - “Message in a Bottle” Initiative
This project, launched with the support of Skerries Fire Brigade, helps to save the emergency services valuable time identifying someone in difficulty. It is a potential lifesaver and provides peace of mind to the user, their carer, and their family. A white plastic bottle with specific markings has been given to older people, especially those living alone. The idea is that their medicines and other important next-of-kin details are in the bottle and the emergency services will search for the bottle automatically - Making Skerries more accessible to older people:
In conjunction with the Liaison Committee two seats have been placed in Strand Street.A walkability study was done with a number of people to identify hazards and some repairs were carried out and some more need identifying to the Council. - Older people and hospitals:
The Fingal Alliance group and the Skerries group attended a meeting with Beaumont hospital with a view to making it more user friendly.
The vantastic bus to the hospitals is working well. You do need to register first and then book your seat on time 5 euro each way. - Provision of information on services and social clubs.
An information Pack was launched in August 2014 and will be distributed to all of the established estates in the hope to reach will get most of the older people.
The information pack is also available in Skerries Library and in the Citizens Information Office, New Street, as well as at Reception in our Community Centre.
Citizens Information in New St are updating their local file of information in addition to all the other information and will be happy to help with Age Friendly information. It is our aim to have a full internet-enabled data base for everyone in Skerries when we get more resources.
Skerries Age Friendly Committee
The committee is working on addressing a number of the action items above and currently focuses on:
- Building and maintaining a database of all services available in Skerries (for everyone including the over 55s).
- Promoting and facilitating greater inclusion in the social, cultural and sporting life in Skerries on the part of older adults.
- Building up and maintaining a network of older people who can be contacted in person or via the phone as well as via online or print means.
We are doing the above in partnership with FCC (Eithne Mallin) who is coordinating the delivery of other age friendly services in Skerries by a number of organisations.
FCC is supporting us by providing information about sources of funding and useful contacts etc. The committee is part of The Skerries Community Association Ltd.
If you or someone you know would like to get involved, please email agefriendly@skerriesca.com.
Contact: Mary & Brendan at agefriendly@skerriesca.com