Covid-19 changes Christmas Day lunch plans for Cork Penny Dinners

Volunteers will deliver meals and gifts to those in hostels, hotels, and B&Bs

Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners with knight riders Ryan McEvoy, College Rd, and Keith McInerney, Hanover St, on their way to give out food parcels to people on the streets in Cork City. Picture: David Keane

Cork Penny Dinners has, for the first time, been forced to cancel its annual Christmas Day lunch for service users due to Covid-19 concerns.

Volunteers were downcast but defiant in the Little Hanover St premises of Cork’s oldest charity as they came to terms with the news that their Christmas lunch cannot go ahead this year.

Caitriona Twomey, the charity's coordinator, said it always puts the safety of its volunteers and service users first and “with a heavy heart", had made the decision to cancel the annual event.

“We had a meeting and, in light of the pandemic, we felt we had to err on the side of caution,” Ms Twomey said, adding that their plans have been adapted to ensure that Christmas will still happen, just not as normal.

“We will deliver a full Christmas dinner, supplied by our friends in the River Lee Hotel, to everyone who needs one, and we will bring Christmas gifts and dinners to people in hostels, hotels, and B&Bs.

“It won’t be the same, but people’s health has to come first. We are here on Christmas Day from 9am to 3pm, and we are urging anyone who needs a dinner to come to our door and we will look after them.” 

Ms Twomey said Penny Dinners knight-riders will be out on Christmas night, as every night, delivering food parcels as normal, and will continue to support numerous charities across the city.

Volunteer Charles O’Sullivan said it was heartbreaking to see hopes dashed after so much hard work had gone into planning a safe Christmas for volunteers and service users.

“We have been Covid-free all throughout the pandemic, and we take health and safety extremely seriously,” he said.

“We had everything fully prepared in terms of securing a well-ventilated, alternative premises, our friends in Sanitise Ireland were going to sanitise the site, and the community gardaí, the army and UCC security were going to steward the event. We had all the boxes ticked and now the wind has been knocked out of us."

Caitriona Twomey said it was upsetting to think of people being lonely and eating their Christmas dinner “on the footpath” this year, but this is what would happen for some people.

“We so wanted to see their smiling faces, and to let them know that they’re part of the family."

Ms Twomey said that the volunteers and service users are practical people, and despite the setback, look forward to brighter days ahead once the pandemic passes. 

“This is the first time in over a decade we won’t be having a Christmas party, but Santa will still be with us in spirit, and next year he will be back in person. 

“We believe a miracle happens every day on Little Hanover St, and we will wait for Christmas 2021, which will be bigger and better than ever.” 

In the meantime, the work of Penny Dinners continues daily, with thousands of food hampers delivered across the city every week, and Ms Twomey said the charity is struggling to meet demand.

 “The public are always so good to us, and we would appeal to people to continue to donate, to help make sure nobody goes hungry at Christmas, or at any time throughout the year.” 

Donations can be made at Penny Dinners, Little Hanover St, Cork, or on the charity’s website.