Local Polish community has distributed thousands of face masks

PHOTO ABOVE: Staff of An Post in Athlone were among those who received donations of face masks.

Volunteers from the Midlands Polish Community Association have produced and distributed nearly 5,000 cloth face masks among many organisations in Midlands since the beginning of the pandemic.

The initiative was started before Easter by Magda Podsiadly from Athlone who was joined soon after by another three Polish volunteers from Longford Kasia Pasik, Magdalena Ruszaj and Kasia Sochacka.

The group are sewing masks every single day which are then given to members of ‘Community Support Team’ (part of Midlands Polish Community) to be distributed among many organisations and institutions in Midlands.

The initiative is part of the local Polish community's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to show solidarity, support and community spirit.

At the beginning of the pandemic Midlands Polish Community set up dedicated Polish-English webpage and Facebook group where the most important and relevant information from the Government and local authorities are published. Notices are also in Polish language to provide the most up to date information to all those without fluent English. Separately, a Community Support Team was also created which comprises of members of the association spread around different locations in Midlands, namely Athlone, Ballymahon, Mullingar, Longford.

Barbara Stachowska coordinates distribution of face mask in Longford, Wojtek Wrobel in Athlone, Dana Kiernan in Mullingar and Joanna Kazek in Ballymahon. When the demand for masks peaked, the group sought additional volunteers for sewing and received fantastic help from Longford Volunteer Centre in spreading the word. After that, local Irish volunteers joined in and greatly supported the initiative, making in truly multicultural initiative.

Recently, production of scrubs has started. The first few batches of scrubs were donated to Public Health Nurses and Medical Centre in Longford.

So far nearly 5000 cloth masks were donated among many beneficiaries, such as public health nurses in Longford and Athlone, Midlands Simon Community, Meal on Wheels, St Christopher’s Longford, LCRL, The Alzheimer’s Society, Family Carers Ireland, Ballymahon Day Care Centre, Post offices, nursing homes in different locations and many more.

The group received huge support from Longford and Westmeath County Councils as well as from the Polish Embassy in Dublin, which was part of the global #Polonia4Neighbours action initiated by the Polish government.

Thanks to this financial support the Midlands Polish Community Association was able to purchase all materials needed for face masks and scrubs production. The association voiced its thanks to local authorities and the embassy for this fantastic support.

It also thanked all who supported this initiative, all volunteers sewing masks and scrubs and all members of the ‘Community Support Team’, who coordinate the project.

More information this project can be found on Midlands Polish Community website: www.polishcommunity.ie and on their Facebook page: Midlands Polish Community