A town in Mayo has responded to the concerns raised by local older people about crime in their homes by developing a unique new initiative to help protect them against ‘rogue traders’.
Recent consultation with older people in Foxford as part of their Age Friendly Town programme revealed many older people are concerned about crime, particularly in rural areas, and many have a fear of strangers calling to their door.
In response, members of the Mayo Age Friendly Alliance, including Mayo County Council, An Garda Siochana, the HSE, and Age Friendly Ireland, came together to develop the Age Friendly Trusted Tradesperson Programme.
The programme connects older people with local traders who they can trust.
Chief Superintendent Barry O’Brien was in Foxford recently in the Mayfly Hotel to launch the initiative with local Garda PJ Clarke.
Nine local trades people have committed to the initiative in Foxford and received training to raise their awareness about the needs of older people.
The details of these trades people are being distributed as part of a safety pack to homes in Foxford, and are available from An Garda Siochana, the town library, and the local post office.
The nine local trusted trades people are: Alan Butler, Seamus Ryder, Patrick Doocey, Enda Maloney, Gary Coleman, Adrian Gaughan, Patrick O’Malley, William Noone, and Bob Doyle; and they offer a range of services including carpentry, machinery work, general building contracting work, tarring, civil engineering works, home security fittings and alarms.
