Cork-based Volkswagen dealer Blackwater Motors has donated a brand new Volkswagen Crafter van to Cork Penny Dinners, the well-known charity. The charity dates back to the 1840s, when it provided food to famine victims, and it was formally incorporated in 1888, using steam from a nearby shipyard to rapidly cook soup for the needy of Cork City.
2,000 meals per week
These days Cork Penny Dinners is probably more famous for appearing on RTE Television, with celebrity hotel manager Francis Brennan helping to refurbish and refit the charity's premises on Little Hanover Street. More importantly, Penny Dinner still provides a vital lifeline for the people of Cork, and has recently said that it's serving more than 2,000 meals per week, as opposed to only around 150 per week before the recent cost of living crisis.
The Crafter van will be used for Penny Dinners' other work, which involves bringing food and meals to those who can't make it into the city centre location.
New van centre in Wilton
To mark the announcement, Catriona Twomey from Cork Penny Dinners and Audi Cork Brand Ambassadors, Peter O' Mahony and Lisa Jordan visited the newest Blackwater Motors dealership, the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Centre located in Wilton.
Speaking at the announcement, Blackwater Motors & Audi Cork, Group Fleet Manager, David McSweeney & a long-term volunteer with Cork Penny Dinners, said, "Being involved with Cork Penney Dinners, I know how much the charity will benefit from the donation of the van. On behalf of Cork Penny Dinners, I would like to thank the Blackwater Motors Group for their valued support."
Food donations appeal
As well as the donation of the Crafter, the Blackwater Motors Group is coming together for the second year, to run a food drive appeal in all of their dealerships across Cork city and county. The drive will run from Friday, December 2nd - Tuesday, December 20th, with staff members, customers and the general public being asked to drop non-perishable items at any of the dealerships which will then be redistributed to Cork Penny Dinners during Christmas week.