New ideas can help solve social problems

The Fermanagh delegation in Merseyside

Sinn Féin MLA Thomas O'Reilly recently accompanied a number of community groups from Fermanagh on a visit to Merseyside in Liverpool to examine initiatives aimed at helping disadvantaged sections of the community.

"We looked at some new ideas that have been introduced there and which we hope can be replicated here," says O'Reilly.

"We visited the Furniture Resource Centre (FRC), a social economy business established to be of long-term financial benefit to the local community that is environmentally sound.

"One of the services they offer is to collect bulky furniture that would otherwise have been thrown out. These pieces of furniture are then re-upholstered and restored. Once they are restored to pristine condition, they are sold to people on benefits or low incomes.

"The people working for FRC are long term unemployed who have been given a chance to improve their skills — such as learning to drive a lorry or restoring furniture.

"At the Millennium Resource Centre we looked at the Projects Lifeline, in which modern technology provides personal reassurance. Basically, this is a call system linked to a call centre which is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They hold information on you, so if you are an older person on medication and have forgotten how many tablets to take, you can contact them and they will remind you. They will also give practical help finding plumbers and other services.

"From an environmental point of view, we visited the National Wildflower Centre, where we saw some great ideas.

"We learned a lot from this trip and have agreed to meet again in Fermanagh so we can look at introducing some of these ideas in a more rural environment."