Friends in Deed was set up after the chair person spent time in hospital and saw elderly patients with no visitors. Their volunteers go to the local hospital geriatric ward and visit patients during visiting times who have no visitors or have no family to support them.

The volunteers break down the social isolation and fear for the elderly patients and create links with the community and the local hospital.

The group currently has 54 volunteers and made nearly 1,000 visits last year alone! Friends in Deed received overwhelming support on the Kerrygold Community Awards website, with a number of community members voicing their support on the forum. Comments included: “It's surprising how a little support can go a long way to make a person feel good.”

Marjorie Mordue, leader of the Friends in Deed group explains:
"We are delighted Friends in Deed has been awarded a Kerrygold Community Award. A friendly face or someone to talk to can really brighten up the day of someone staying on the hospital ward. We believe our project is a great example of how a group of people can come together to help improve the lives of others in their community”.

With the help of the Kerrygold Community Awards cash prize, Friends in Deed hope to raise awareness of their project, attract new volunteers and would like to organise an event to thank their current volunteers for their time. Marjorie goes on to explain how they “know all the nurses” and help to generate “a big community feel.”