CROSSHAVEN has been announced as the first ‘Sound Town’ winner of 2021, following a huge community effort across a range of volunteering activities, from setting up local groups for the vulnerable, to sailing support, wellbeing meetings and Tidy Towns.
Crosshaven local Eileen O'Brien entered her hometown after becoming part of a local group for mothers and toddlers, which allowed her to make friends and spend time with other parents. From there she became involved in the Community Association which led to a whole range of initiatives being supported from locals across the town.
Eileen described the town as a real support network with ‘people living here from all walks of life and from loads of different countries and counties. Once you get here you can’t help but get involved in loads of volunteer activities in the community.’
The Crosshaven town community have rallied together and set up several community volunteers groups to support everything from the local Church Steeple (Save Our Steeple) from falling, to conserving a graveyard, to planting flowers via Tidy Towns. During lockdown, Crosshaven GAA organised the delivery of groceries and prescriptions to the medically vulnerable and a group of locals recently renovated the tennis club making it wheelchair accessible.
‘Sound Town’ is a Today FM and Cadbury Ireland initiative, which aims to shine a light on what makes Irish communities so unique, by awarding a ‘Sound Town’ status to communities that embody generosity, kindness and general soundness. Throughout the year, monthly winning towns are selected by Today FM’s Alison Curtis and presented with an official ‘Sound Town’ plaque. Each monthly winning town will be shortlisted for a chance to win €10,000, when the overall 2021 Sound Town winner is announced at the end of the year.
