Siblings praised for donating pocket money to beloved Cork charity

A letter, enclosed with a money-box donation, from two Cork siblings put smiles on the faces of volunteers at Cork Penny Dinners

A letter from a Cork brother and sister warmed hearts at one of Cork’s most-beloved charities on Monday.

"It was like a beautiful rainbow came down with a box of gold at the end of it," Caitriona Twomey, head of Cork Penny Dinners said.

The letter, which was addressed to 'Mrs Twomey', came from Ewan Collins and his sister Evie and came enclosed with the siblings' money box.

The money-box was given to them by their nanny, Ewan wrote, and they had filled it with their pocket-money savings.

“Nanny told us you are a very good lady and you help feed all the people who need food,” he wrote.

“We would like you to have the money box. I hope it will be enough money to buy food.”

These are the days .... Thank you Ewan, Evie and Nanny ♥️♥️ pic.twitter.com/5FEFYwagJs

— Caitriona Twomey (@volpdinners) April 19, 2021

"I hope it's enough to help somebody" – that would just cut through you," Ms Twomey said, speaking to the Irish Examiner about receiving the beautiful letter. 

"Everyone I showed it to just said 'awww'."

The charity, which was a soup kitchen during the famine, is one of Cork's oldest charities and provides up to 2,000 dinners a week to those in need in the city.

"You know something like that takes us to a different place," Ms Twomey went on, "because when we get tired, and then something like that happens... you get back on track."

Ms Twomey said it wasn't the first time they've received touching letters from young Corkians – only a few weeks ago another little girl wrote "a lovely letter," she said. 

Cork's Penny Dinners provides up to 2,000 dinners a week to those in need in the city. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

The charity has also seen younger children who first visit with parents, and go on to volunteer themselves.

"We had a kid one time that came in with her father, and she said when I grew up, I am going to do what you're doing that.

"When she was going away, she said, 'I will never forget this day. She said I really won't forget ye, thank you'.

"She was hugging us and she could only reach our waist... and we were all bawling," she laughed.

Returning back to the letter, she said it was "a good start to the week".

"It's lovely to see those values. The value of being able to give and to share. That's an incredible thing for a child to grow up with."

Does she think she might have some future volunteers on the cards?

"We probably will."

You can donate or sign-up to volunteer with Cork's Penny Dinners here