Thurles Order of Malta Ambulance Corps – Mr Gerard Fogarty, Parnell Street, Thurles reports:-
Order of Malta Ambulance Corps Thurles has recently completed a milestone in raising safeguarding standards. Officer In Charge, Catherine O’Loughlin said “Congratulations to all members who recently completed the Child Protection Awareness Programme last weekend. In line with our Safeguarding Policy, now all members who take part in unit activities have completed the programme. It was a pleasure to host members from across the region in our fantastic training centre to complete the course”.
Some of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps Thurles members and Cadets managing the immense emergency medical operation at the Munster Hurling Final recently, with support from Cashel, Nenagh, Limerick, and Shannon colleagues.
We recently celebrated two further milestones with our members. I want especially to pay tribute to Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Hennessy, our wonderful Chaplain, who marks twenty-five years in the priesthood. Fr. Hennessy is a tremendous support to our unit; always travelling to support our Cadets, and attend our meetings. Extremely helpful in assisting us to promote our religious, Christian ethos; he is also always available to celebrate our units’ annual Mass, and our annual Mass for deceased members, in addition to our other pastoral needs”. He recently travelled to UL as a very encouraging face for our Cadets at their national competitions. We wish him the very best and look forward to his next jubilee.
We also joined to celebrate a special birthday with our Nursing Officer Sr. Catherine Keohane. Sr. Catherine is a fountain of knowledge and encouragement to our members, in teaching nursing skills and has been a long serving member of our unit. Her years of experience working in devastated areas abroad, inspires an ethos within our unit of looking past our own homes, towards others. Even at the most difficult of ambulance duties her reassuring smile lends a strong comfort to us all. We were thrilled to join this group in their birthday celebrations; and to acknowledgement the huge part they play in our unit, and their contributing to each of us as members.
We intend to run an ‘Emergency First Responder Course’ for all members who have yet to up-skill to this standard, in the coming weeks, and so I would be grateful if you could provide your name if you are available.
Last, but by no means least, we would like to sincerely thank Adjutant Mr Ray Deery, who recently stepped down from the Order of Malta Units’ Management Committee. His contribution to the Thurles Unit is well noted and greatly appreciated.
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