The Larder to serve as lifeline into New Year

SERVING as a vital lifeline to those most in need throughout the community well into  the new year are the good folk at The Larder.     

Situated at their premises on Mary Street the eponymous organisation is on the front line in providing support to those who are most in need throughout Newry, Mourne and Down.

 Whilst the services provided  by The Larder, which primarily  include the delivery of food parcels,  are administered throughout the year according to volunteer Eugene McCann it is within January where the most hard pressed families will have to turn  to the organisation for assistance in getting by.     

January blues

“With the long wait for a pay cheque we will definitely be busier towards the end of January.” said Eugene.

“Wages are not seen, it is mortgage, heat and then eat in that order. There is little left to eat when all the bills are paid. I would say we have serviced around a total of 50 families and individuals a week since the start of December.”

As Eugene’s colleague Colette Bailey elaborated in spite of the substantial rise in service demand from an even spread of both working and non-working families, supply of food donations to The Larder were wanning until she launched a personal appeal for help on social media which saw those who living in the community responded generously. 

Supply Struggles

 “We were struggling with the supply. There was not the same level of donations coming in as there was over the course of the previous years” explained Colette.

“Everyone is struggling and finding it harder. We put up an appeal maybe three weeks ago and it has been fantastic. The response is very good but you have to keep pushing.

“People are very good, you just have to say what you want and people will get it for you but you have to stay on top of this. If you let this go people have their own matters and they may forget. Our main sources of donations are from the community but also from the schools. Some of the schools are fantastic. When you go out to get a donation from the school you have to bring the van and it is full to the neck.”

No shame in asking for help

As previously alluded to it will come as no surprise to learn that those families from  both  a working and non-working background avail of help from The Larder given the ongoing difficult economic context.         

  In fact to such an extent is the need for help present within the proletarians of Newry, Mourne and Down, that as Colette explained they are receiving requests for help from families where both parents are in work and are still struggling to make ends meet.   

 As Mrs Bailey further elaborated this is help that no one should feel any degree of shame in asking for.       

“It use to be the man would go to work and the women would stay at home but now it is two people working and they are still struggling to make ends meet.

“It is not just poorly paid people either it is nurses and elderly people who have probably worked all their lives.

“ There is no shame in using our services. We had a wee girl who came on behalf of her mother because her mother was too ashamed to avail of our services so she came on behalf of her mummy.

“We gave her stuff that day and told her to come in. There are no names, it is very discreet and completely confidential. If someone wants to make a donation just contact The Larder page and we can arrange for them to be picked up. Alternatively you can just bring them in during our opening hours.”

Charity Status

Whilst the donations received on the part of those who live throughout the community will work to maintain The Larder into the new year and beyond according to Colette if her organisation were to receive official recognition as a charity this could work immensely in helping them to expand their services to as many people as possible.    

 ”Charity status is the best way forward. We can get a committee and everything is transparent. You get more donations by being charity registered. We have missed out on a lot. We could take money donations and people would be more inclined to donate if they could claim it back on their tax as it is mostly community and school that we are getting donations from this year.

“We need a bit of advice and to see where we are going with it.”

If you believe you can help Colette and her colleagues at The Larder in gaining official recgonition as a charity then you can contact them via their Facebook page The Larder Newry or on 7864 631759.