There are a large number of voluntary organisations around County Mayo and a new six-part documentary radio series entitled Volunteers at the Coal Face highlights the work being done by six groups who rely on volunteers to provide various services for people in the county. The new series will be broadcast on CRCFM (102.9 fm ) with the programmes detailing the work being done by Mayo Mountain Rescue, No Name Clubs, RNLI, Order of Malta, Macra na Feirme and Vincent de Paul in bringing their respective services to the people of Mayo.
Each of the six programmes deal with a specific organisation but a common thread of the role of the volunteer features strongly throughout all programmes in the series. This radio initiative is co-produced by Ronan Courell and Tommy Marren and listeners will be afforded the opportunity of learning first-hand how each organisation structures its respective operation for the betterment of local communities through active participation of its volunteers. Next year has been designated European Year of the Volunteer and volunteerism is alive and well in County Mayo. The fact that so many people in the county give their expertise and time free of charge is often seen as an Irish phenomenon and this radio series clearly illustrates how people in Mayo are often prepared to risk life and limb in their roles as volunteers.
All of the programmes will be broadcast at 4pm, with the first programme in the series to be broadcast on Monday April 26 telling of work being done by the RNLI at its lifeboat stations in Ballyglass and Achill. On Monday May 10 the Mayo No Name Club will be featured as part of their recently held regional finals in Claremorris and the role of volunteers within Mayo Macra na Feirme will take to the airwaves on Monday May 17.
The final three programmes in the series centre on Mayo Order of Malta, Mayo Mountain Rescue and finally the Castlebar branch of St Vincent de Paul. All of the programmes were funded under the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Sound & Vision Scheme.
