Shop owner offers food packages to hard-up families

(Above) Mace Supermarket in Castlepollard.

The owner of a north Westmeath supermarket has offered to provide food packages to people in his community who are struggling financially.

In a video posted on social media, Philip Craig, the owner of the Mace supermarket in Castlepollard, urged local people who were finding it hard to make ends meet to get in touch.

“If a family is struggling and it is within the local area between Castlepollard and Oldcastle we can offer a food package. If they send a message privately to the Facebook page no one has access to that only myself. It is strictly private, strictly confidential. It's information that doesn't go anywhere. Basically, the bottom line is if you know of someone who is struggling and need that bit of a helping hand, we are here to help. So all you need to do is send a private message to the Facebook page. We will do our best and gather what we can. We will either deliver it to your door or if you want you can pick it up in store. It is strictly confidential,” he said.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner a short while ago, Philip said that he has been surprised by the response to his video and that that helping those less fortunate is something that is important to him.

“It's just the way I was brought up. It is something I would always be looking at. Every year with the Greville Arms in Mullingar, we would always do food packages for the Lions Club, but I don't have to wait until Christmas to do something,” he said.

Philip has worked in retail all his life and says that you notice when customers are struggling financially.

“I see it first hand. People are struggling. We always do something to help out because we know that people are struggling. When you are working in shop you just know,” he said.

He added that he hoped that people might see his video and think about doing something themselves in the run up to Christmas.