Down in County Limerick, Hospital Family Resource Centre is celebrating 10 years in existence. Having opened with an aim to actively provide support to vulnerable and isolated people in the area, it has gone on to influence change to make communities in its catchment area more inclusive.

Since its inception, over 150 volunteers have worked with the centre giving approximately 52,000 hours of volunteering time to the centre and the community over the decade.

Hospital FRC facilitates groups in The Avondhu readership area such as Parent and Toddler Groups in Ballylanders and Kilmallock, get-togethers for older people in Kilteely and Galbally and much, much more.

Geraldine O’Sullivan, one of the founding volunteers, said that, prior to the setting up of the centre, if any member of the community needed information on anything from herbal remedies to computer courses, they had to travel 23 miles to get it.

“My dream was that it didn’t have to be that hard and I saw that dream realised when our Family Resource Centre opened. The centre is like a river, connecting people and towns. It satisfies the requirements of those it meets, changes as the need dictates and is always constant and reliable. Like the river it embraces all, judges none, just simply provides.”

To mark the occasion, a community fun day will be held on the grounds of Hospital FRC from 1pm to 4pm on June 27 and an afternoon filled with fun is assured.