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Baile Mhuire Day Care Centre For Older Persons Tralee Secures Funding For Bus

BAILE Mhuire Day Care Centre for Older Persons has secured funding to purchase a new wheelchair-accessible bus to provide a very necessary transport service to clients who attend the Mid & West Kerry Stroke Service in Tralee.

The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Mr Brendan Griffin TD, confirmed the €50,000 grant that will facilitate the purchase of Mercedes Sprinter 16-seater wheelchair accessible vehicle in the coming weeks.

The funding for the minibus, which will come equipped with underfloor lift with access from side and rear for clients, has been allocated by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Transport is free to clients as part of the overall service however it was possible to offer this service in its entirety due to the poor condition of the existing bus.

The Chairman of Baile Mhuire, Paddy Garvey, said: “This is a welcome development and we are most grateful to the Department for granting our application. The Stroke Day Service at Baile Mhuire has been providing nursing and physiotherapy supports to people recovering from a stroke for just over a year. Feedback from carers and participants has revealed that the service has provided clients with freedom, escapism and a great confidence booster post stroke. The only challenge and negative, as outlined by carers, was the lack of transport with family members being required to work a roster to get their loved-one to Baile Mhuire. The provision of funding to purchase a new, fit-for-purpose minibus will enable us to reach out and engage with clients post stroke to provide both physical and mental stimulation programmes.”

The Stroke Day Service commenced in November 2018 and 80% of the clients attending the 10-week programme are from Clár areas in Kerry: Banna, Ardfert, Lixnaw, Ballyheigue, Miltown, Ballyduff, Kilflynn, Cordal to name but a few.

Volunteers are an integral part of Baile Mhuire and a pool of four trained and licenced drivers are looking forward to taking delivery of the new 16-seater minibus.

Baile Mhuire is a Voluntary Run Charity with a Board of Directors acting as Trustees. The Board Members meet every six weeks while six other sub-groups meet on a regular basis to cover the areas of Finance, HR, Transport and Admissions, Evaluation Committee and Stroke Steering Committee.

The Stroke Day Service operates one day a week in Baile Mhuire Day Care Centre for Older Persons, Tralee on Fridays from 10am to 3pm. For more information about the new Stroke Day Service in Tralee, contact Rose at 066 7123373.