Easilink community transport delivered over 14,000 food parcels during coronavirus emergency, says C.E.O. Patrick McEldowney

Patrick McEldowney, chief executive of the Strabane-based Easilink Community Transport, said the company delivered 14,000 food parcels at the height of the pandemic.

The true reach of community transport was highlighted during a Stormont Infrastructure Committee briefing.

Mr. McEldowney said: “To give people a flavour of the range of services that Easilink provides, we were very heavily involved in the Department for Communities food parcel deliveries. Derry and Strabane and Fermanagh and Omagh councils approached us directly to see if we could look after it all. Other councils tried to mix some of their resources with community resources, so it is about whatever works in areas. We delivered all the food parcels into the rural areas of Derry and Strabane, so they were not just for Derry city and Strabane town. The DfC-funded neighbourhood renewal partnerships and groups were involved in the urban areas, and we delivered all the parcels in the rural parts of the district. In Fermanagh and Omagh, we delivered all the parcels in Omagh, and Fermanagh Community Transport delivered them at the Fermanagh end.”

Easilink is normally focused on rural ‘Dial a Lift’ services, disability transport and group hire for local charities, but got through a staggering amount of extra work during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Across the two councils, in my area alone we delivered over 14,000 food parcels during that 16- or 17-weeek period.

“On a number of occasions, both councils publicly not only thanked us for it but declared that they just could not have done it without an organisation like ours that had the network of not only resource in the drivers and vehicles that were suitable to transport these big, heavy boxes but of drivers who know the local areas and every wee lane and country road. That really helped us to do it efficiently,” Mr. McEldowney explained.

During lockdown Easilink staff kept in touch with service users on a weekly basis. This became another vital service.

“As the weeks went on, those conversations became really important. We were ringing up not only to say, ‘Hello. Hope you’re well. We’re just checking up’ but to try to suss out the situation by asking, ‘And are you getting a bit of food? Are you getting your groceries? How are you feeling?’ It developed into being more than just a chat; it became about double-checking that they were not in trouble and did not have a particular need.”