The innovative work carried out by the staff of Cork County Council during the Covid-19 crisis, including a particularly “Sound Initiative”, will be highlighted on #YourCouncilDay which takes place this Wednesday, July 1st.
Cork County Council’s Covid 19 Community Support Programme was established to provide assistance to vulnerable members of the community with their daily needs during the pandemic. Alongside the continuation of essential services, the Council developed several innovative solutions to ensure those cocooning or self-isolating remained supported and connected.
In addition to providing a book delivery service during the crisis, Cork County Council’s Library Service came up with an upbeat scheme for those who wished to make the most of their time at home by improving their musical abilities. Musical instrument loans were added to its housebound home delivery service under ‘A Sound Initiative’ and instruments including violins, keyboards, guitars, banjos and even ukuleles were delivered safely to front doors across Cork County.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley praised the initiative, saying that learning to play a musical instrument has so many proven benefits. “It stimulates the brain, improving your memory and it relieves stress. It has even been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure, so it’s good for your health and it is fun too. It is great to see Cork County Council’s Library Service offering such vital services to the community at their time of need. The current crisis has highlighted the true nature of public service in communities across the county.”
Cork County Council Chief Executive, Tim Lucey, praised staff and said outstanding work had been carried out in adapting the service “Our Library Service worked quickly to identify a safe system to deliver books and musical instruments to our more vulnerable citizens. Our libraries also played an integral role in Cork County Council’s Community Support Programme, acting as community hubs for the provision of supports to those who contacted our Community Call Helpline. The unique circumstances of Covid-19 prompted Cork County Council to develop creative solutions to address the complex problems posed by the new realities of lockdown, adopting innovative ways of delivering both day to day services and additional supports for those who needed them most.”
#YourCouncilDay will showcase some of Cork County Council’s services and initiatives, while also highlighting the innovation shown by local authorities across the country in supporting the community through the lockdown. Social media users are invited to be part of the awareness campaign this Wednesday, July 1st using the hashtag #YourCouncilDay