Derry Daily
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Sunday 18°CMonday 16°C

Derry Daily Derry Daily Derry Daily

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Derry CityHealthNews

Coronavirus: Derry churches join forces to support people in isolated rural areas

written by John March 28, 2020
ShareTweet

Pictured from left: Fr Noel McDermott (PP Faughanvale), Elaine Way (St Canice’s church warden), Rev Lindsay Blair (minister, Eglinton Presbyterian), Trevor Evans (secretary, Eglinton Presbyterian), Rev Canon Paul Hoey (rector, St Canice’s CoI); and Debbie Caulfield (manager, Eglinton Community Centre

VOLUNTEERS from the three main churches in the rural parish of Faughanvale outside Derry have teamed up to provide support and pastoral care to residents isolated as part of Coronavirus lockdown.

Catholic priest Fr Noel McDermott, Church of Ireland rector Rev Paul Hoey and Presbyterian minister Rev Lindsay Blair joined forces to make sure their elderly and vulnerable parishioners are looked after during these imposed measures of control and restriction.

Leaflets have been delivered to more than 3,000 homes in the parish’s two villages of Eglinton and Greysteel and into the rural hinterlands with contact numbers for representatives of the three churches.

Offers to collect medication from the local pharmacy and shop for vital supplies of food were soon taken up, according to project co-ordinator Debbie Caulfield, manager of Eglinton Community Hall.

Ms Caulfield told the Belfast Telegraph: “This was very much the idea of Fr McDermott, Rev Blair and Rev Hoey who came together to see how they could best serve the needs of the parish during this time when so many people have been told to stay at home.

“Faughanvale parish is very rural and there are a lot of people who are literally living in the middle of nowhere so it would be easy for them to feel alone and isolated.

“The three clergymen are offering pastoral care but each church has appointed a contact person that can organise practical help and it is being co-ordinated through the community hall in Eglinton.

“Once someone gets in touch we can appoint a volunteer to go and get food, lift prescriptions or whatever is needed.

“I will contact the person and let them know the name of the volunteer and let them know they will be with them within the hour and that their food or medicine will be left outside.”

Ms Caulfield said the scheme, which is still in its infancy, is already giving comfort to the elderly and vulnerable and their families.

She added: “We have had an incredible response to the scheme, not just from people who need our help but from their families too who can’t get out of their own homes.

“What has been great to see is people using the scheme but not one person has been abusing it.”

Rector of St Canice’s, Rev Paul Hoey, said he and his clerical counterparts in the Catholic and Presbyterian churches wanted to provide both spiritual and practical help to their parishioners.

He said: “We in Eglinton Churches Together have already been responding prayerfully to the public health emergency, but we felt that it was important to respond in a practical way, too.

“There will be many people in our community who will be hurting in the weeks and months ahead. Many will be self-isolating. Many will be anxious. Some will be experiencing financial distress.

“We want to be there for them – to help them and support them.”

A similar scheme is also operating in the Donaghmore and Castlecaulfield parishes in Co Tyrone, operated by parish priest Fr David Moore, Rev Peter Thompson from the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian minister Mark Dodds.

Coronavirus: Derry churches join forces to support people in isolated rural areas was last modified: March 29th, 2020 by John

Tags:
Coronavirus: Derry churches join forces to support isolated people in rural areaseglintonFaughanvale parishgreysteel
ShareTweet
John

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Drink-driver charged to court over Derry collision

8 hours ago

Funeral of mother and daughter killed in...

12 hours ago

Man arrested over Class C drugs seizure...

12 hours ago

Boyce hat-trick sends Derry City into seventh...

16 hours ago

Dance company loses appeal over 100% annual...

18 hours ago

Unmissable music events coming to the Abbey...

1 day ago

Derry priest faces seven more child sex...

1 day ago

New leaflet to help older people beat...

1 day ago

Man charged with possessing indecent images of...

2 days ago

Loving mother and daughter killed in Donegal...

2 days ago

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Email

Features

  • Sun, sea, spectacular views, historical charm and fabulous food. Tunisia of course

    April 5, 2024
  • Magical trip to see Santa from Belfast

    December 20, 2023
  • DD Travel Feature: Cork’s amazing The Montenotte Hotel

    April 18, 2023
  • Derry cancer survivor Noeleen McMorris reveals importance of awareness

    July 25, 2022
  • Competition! Win tickets to Northern Ireland v England Women’s Euro 2022 match

    June 17, 2022

Courts

  • Drink-driver charged to court over Derry collision

    July 5, 2025
  • Derry priest faces seven more child sex charges

    July 4, 2025
  • Man charged with possessing indecent images of children

    July 4, 2025
  • Two men in court after £1.2m cannabis find near border

    July 3, 2025
  • Two charged over huge cannabis haul seized in North West

    July 3, 2025

Donegal Daily

    Read More

    • News
    • Sport
    • Courts
    • Jobs
    • Features
    • Business
    • Politics

    Information

    • Contact Us
    • About
    • Advertise WIth Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    Derry Daily

    © 2025 Derry Daily. All rights reserved.


    Back To Top

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy