‘We are still coming across people in really dire straits’

ANN CASEY
More than 600 families in the Navan area were visited by St Vincent De Paul Society in the two weeks before Christmas.
Food hampers, fuel assistance and other donations were distributed, as the society continues its efforts to alleviate the worst effects of poverty in the community.
Meanwhile, the Navan Soup Kitchen served 22 meals in its Brews Hill premises on Christmas Day, a figure which is down on last year's 35.
The Soup Kitchen also distributed 171 hampers in the locality, in the eight days prior to Christmas.

Stephen Flattery of Navan St Vincent de Paul said that the number of people in need seemed to be rising and included people they haven’t assisted before.
“We are still coming across people in really dire straits,” he said.
Mr Flattery thanked all those who had contributed to the organisation.
“The ‘Giving Tree’ was a very successful fundraiser for us as well as the collection in the shopping centre and the church gate collections.
“We want to thank all individuals and the businesses and companies who donated food and money. We even had ready made dinners donated,” he pointed out.
“Without their assistance we would not have been able to help as many people as we did,” he said.
“It can be a very bleak Christmas for some, but our volunteers worked very hard,” he said.

Mr Flattery thanked those who volunteer at, contribute to and shop at the St Vincent De Paul Shops in Navan which are an important source of funding for  the organisation.
“We have a new shop in Blackcastle, the furniture shop at Balmoral, our boutique at Kennedy Road and the original shop at Brews Hill,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mark O'Neill of the Navan Soup Kitchen said he was pleased to see that the numbers attending on Christmas Day were down on last year.
“This is something we love to see happen. It means more people were with family and friends this year.
“Around half of those who attended on Christmas day were homeless, while the other half were not able to cater for themselves,” he said.
The Soup Kitchen also donated 171 food hampers in the days leading up to Christmas.

“Over the past year, the Navan Soup Kitchen has served 35,000 hot meals, which is a lot for a relatively small area,” he said. “We also gave out around 85 hampers a week.”
Mr O'Neill paid tribute to the four volunteers who worked in the kitchen on Christmas day and to all the volunteers who have helped out over the year as well as to all their donors.
Irish Soup Kitchens also have premises in Drogheda and Balbriggan and one which will open shortly in Dundalk.