St. Johnston & Carrigans Family Resource Centre Christmas Newsletter Dec 2009
Merry Christmas to All Our Readers!
Thanks for all your help with the bazaar
Proceeds from the bazaar held in November 28th 2009 came to an amazing €3900.
Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a major success Tony Tourish, Patrick
Colhoun, Justin Mc Glinchey, everyone who donated prizes or donations,
collectors, ticket sellers, bakers, everyone who helped on the night and
especially to all of you who came along to the bazaar and supported us in such a
generous way.
Go raibh mile maith agat.
Christmas Holidays
The Resource Centre will close for Christmas at lunchtime on Tuesday, December
22 2009 and re-open Wednesday, Jan 6 2010.
St Johnston & Carrigans
Family Resource Centre
Christmas Play
The GRINCH
Starring budding young local actors
Saturday, 19th December
Door open 7.30 pm, Starts 8 pm
Ticket Price €4, Family of 4 €12
(Tickets available at Resource Centre)
Supported through Donegal VEC Community Education Fund
Resource Centre Courses in the New Year
Courses coming up in the New Year:
§ maths for parents
§ beginners Irish
§ preparing for driving theory test
§ consumer awareness getting to know your rights
§ euro watchers money management on a budget
No Cuts Hurray!
No cuts in Family Resource Centre funding in 2009 - we are relieved to hear this
announcement even though it was the only good news in the 2009 budget. Thanks to
everyone who supported the centres campaign against the proposed cuts in the Mc
Carthy report. Common sense has prevailed and we look forward to 2010 when our
doors will be well and truly open for business.
Fisherman’s Inn, St Johnston win the Maggie Lynch Dart Cup
Pictured receiving the Dart Cup and Cheque is Captain Joey Coyle from Alice
Lynch, Maggie’s Tavern.
Senator Brian O Domhnaill
Senator Brian O Domhnaill will be holding a clinic in the Resource Centre on
Saturday 19th December at 2.30 pm.
Maths Made Easy
Maths can be easy! Do not despair!!
Grinds available – please phone 086 836 6245
Pilates
Pilates is on every Wednesday night from 7 to 8 pm in the Resource Centre. It’s
a fun way to keep fit so come along!
Monreagh National School
'Sponsor a bulb'
Many thanks to all the local businesses who kindly sponsored a bulb in aid of
the school (all sponsors names are displayed at the house in Kilverry,
Newtoncunningham). The lights are now on it is well worth a visit.
Christmas Play
Our Christmas play will take place on Friday 18th December @ 12 o'clock in the
school. Everyone welcome.
'
Fireside Quiz
We would like to thank everyone for supporting our Fireside Quiz. The draw took
place on the 8th December and the winners are:
1st Ciara Mulhern
2nd Nicola McFadden
3rd Yvonne Smyth
Pensioners and vulnerable children protected despite Budget cuts – Hanafin
“In this Budget, the Government has avoided any cuts in the State pension and
has fully protected more than 420,000 children in welfare dependent and low
income families from cuts in Child Benefit. While prices are now back to
February 2007 levels, the lowest rate of payment next year for those between
aged 25 and 66 will be €10 higher than in 2007” said Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister
for Social and Family Affairs today (9th December 2009).
Pensioners protected from cutbacks
Weekly rates of payments to pensioners (those 66 and over) are not being reduced
in the coming year, neither are other supports such as the Household Benefits
package which includes the free TV licence, electricity/gas allowance and
telephone allowance. The Living Alone and Over 80 allowances are also retained
at existing levels. Next year nearly €4.53 billion will be available to support
over 400,000 pensioners.
Child Benefit
Child benefit rates are being reduced by €16 per child per month, giving new
monthly rates of €150 for each of the 1st and 2nd children and €187 for 3rd and
subsequent children. Minister Hanafin said “families with children who are
dependent on social welfare will be fully compensated for the reduction in Child
Benefit with a €3.80 weekly increase in the Qualified Child Increase – rising
from €26 to €29.80 per week for each child. Low income families who are working
and in receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS) will also be compensated,
through an increase of €6 per child per week in the income thresholds. This will
increase FIS payments by an average €4 per child per week. The Back to School
Clothing and Footwear Allowance paid at the rate of €200 or €305 per child has
also been retained unchanged.”
Minister Hanafin concluded by saying “This Government is proud to have been able
to deliver such significant increases in welfare payments when the resources
were available. However, in the current economic environment, we simply cannot
afford to keep spending at the same level as we did when our tax revenue was
much higher. If the Government doesn't take steps now to reduce overall public
expenditure and restore stability to the public finances, we risk making the
economic situation far worse for everyone - including welfare recipients - in
the long term.
“In making savings in welfare supports, we have been avoided any cuts in the
State pension and have fully protected more than 420,000 children in welfare
dependent and low income families from cuts in Child Benefit. While prices are
now back to February 2007 levels, we have also ensured that the lowest rate of
payment next year for those between aged 25 and 66 will be €10 higher than in
2007” said Minister Hanafin.
From www.welfare.ie
Lagan Valley Men’s Initiative
invite you
To Christmas Lunch with a bit of craic
In The Grianan Hotel Burt
On Thursday 17th December 12-3pm
Coach leaving Carrigans 11am
St Johnston & Carrigans FRC 11.05/Raphoe FRC 11.20 am
/Manorcunningham Resource Centre 11.40am/Newtoncunningham NCDI 11.50
Arriving Burt 12 midday Lunch served at 12.30pm.
For more information or to book a place please contact Mary Crossan @ St
Johnston &Carrigans FRC at 0749148551
If you know of any other men who would like to attend this event please ask them
to contact the Centre. There is no charge for this trip which is supported by
Lagan Valley Men’s initiative.
Christmas Message for the Lunch Club
The Staff & Management of St Johnston & Carrigans Family Resource Centre wish
you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year. We thank you for your support
through your attendance at Lunch Club and other events. We hope that you enjoyed
the various events and have fond memories of the past year and we look forward
to seeing you all on Wednesday January 20th 2010 when the craic will resume.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Tricia, the centre staff and our
volunteers Myra, Angela, Jean, Violet, Rhona, Anne-Marie and Jeanette for the
generous gift of their time and the care that they have taken in the planning
and preparation for the lunch club. Without their help it would be impossible to
keep things going. There are many people from the community have contributed to
the running of the lunch club through fabulous donations of hampers, baking and
gifts in particular Una Crumlish, N&M Fuels, Maymore, Pearl Millar, Grainne
Fitzpatrick, Florence Rankin and Sarah Hunter, their help and support is greatly
appreciated. Thanks also to Leslie Matthews for the entertainment today and to
Eamonn O’Connor for his music in the past. Happy Christmas to you all.
Donations for Bazaar
The Centre wishes to thank the following people and businesses for their kind
donations to the Centre for the recent fundraising Bazaar.
Tinney’s Coal & Oil
N M Fules
An Grainan Hotel
The Meat Joint
Donegal Meat Processors
Tolands Village Shop
Maureen McLaughlin
Mary McAnaney
Mabel Porter
Reynolds of Raphoe
Fisherman’s Inn
Pat Doherty
Janet’s Unisex Hairdressing
Beech Hill House Hotel
The Waterfront Diner
Go – St Johnston Service Station
We also would like to say thanks to everybody in the community who kindly made
donations of funds and gifts to provide prizes for the night.
Health Centre
St Johnston and Carrigans Health Centre
Emergency Clinic, Christmas Eve 9 – 12 noon
Closed Monday 28 Dec
Open Tuesday 29, 9 – 12 noon
Thursday 31, 9 – 12 noon
Hours are normal from 29th December to New Years Eve