Kerry

Change county

Kerry College tackling students’ rising cost of living through innovative shop-local project

Liam Mansfield, Máire Logue (St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre), Natalia Krasenkova, Mary Dowling, Maria Fitzgerald, Caroline Normile, Theresa O Brien, Michelle Murphy (Co-ordinator), Rory O Neill, Sandra Geary, Miriam Goulding, Eilish Stack, Carmel Buckley (Altered Images), Stephen Lane, Maureen Fogarty and John Mangan. Photo by John Kelliher

Kerryman

STUDENTS of the Kerry College might find the daily grind of managing the inflating costs of everything from rents to food offset to a winning degree through a new scheme launched at their centre of education.

Now, thanks to a innovative group within the Kerry College Listowel Campus top deals and discounts across a range of local shops are in the offing for their adult students as they go about their daily business.

And the Community Development project is keeping a vital spend in the North Kerry capital, one that’s very welcome to the business community.

They ask everyone to remember that each euro spent in a local shop somehow – through the magic of economics – realises €40 for the locality.

“The primary focus of this initiative is to encourage people to shop locally which in turn supports the local economy, generates employment opportunities for community members, and fosters stronger relationships and social cohesion within the community,” Michelle Murphy of the Kerry College Listowel campus told The Kerryman.

The benefits are myriad.

“By encouraging local pride, connection, and community ownership, it aims to enhance the quality of goods and services through healthy competition, to build a more resilient community during times of crisis, and to reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint by minimizing transportation costs. Additionally, the initiative seeks to promote entrepreneurship and innovation within the Listowel Community,” Michelle explained.

The group has now designed a special sticker for participating businesses. “This logo will be prominently displayed in participating businesses, enticing students to visit their local shops as for every €1 euro spent locally approximately €40 is generated in return to the locality helping Listowel to continue being the vibrant and flourishing community that it is,” Michelle added.

Participating businesses are:

Whelan’s shoe shop, Pat Nolan’s Furniture and Carpet, Sexton’s Men’s Clothing, Imara Edit, Eason’s, The Lingerie Room, Debs Dolls and Dudes Hair, Mill Lane Variety Store, Woulfe’s Bookshop, Altered Images salon, St John’s Theatre, Mags Deli, Stack’s at the Arcade Furniture, Mc Kenna’s Listowel Household and Garden and Garvey’s Flying Saucer Café.