As a Community Guard at Anglesea Street Garda Station, an important part of Lorraine O’Donovan’s work is building relationships in the local community. To support this, Lorraine organises fishing and hiking trips as one of the ways to get to know some of our service users better.

“I think there’s a little bit of respect for each other. The lads that have come on the trips, they know that we’ll take time out, collect them, take them out on the boat or go hiking. Everything is looked after, and I think they appreciate that.

And I’d say they see you in a different light, that you’re willing to take the time out, to express an interest. Just giving someone a little bit of hope, treating them with a little bit of respect. It’s nice to be courteous and talk to someone. Sometimes that means an awful lot to people.

They know me; if I’m walking around town in my pink hat, they have you twigged! You’re part of the furniture around Cork. They’re part of the furniture around Cork – some of them are like.”

Lorraine talks about compassion …