VINCENTIAN NEWS September/October 2015
Volume 4 Number 7
Clare Lodge reopensa new centre for wellbeing in Newcastle Also inside Vincent’s Rosemary Street opening Around the region Youth News Membership explained
Clare Lodge will offer recuperative breaks all year round in a wonderful seaside setting. This will be a haven of peace for all visitors.
God’s heart has a special place for the poor, so much so that he himself “became poor”
Laudato Si – Pope Francis speaks about caring for the world. Last year Pope Francis published his letter on the Joy of the Gospel. This was an Apostolic Exhortation, a letter to encourage Catholics to engage joyfully in the essential Christian work of handing on the faith, and to do in a way that reflected the essential joy of the Christian message. This June he published what is effectively his first Encyclical Letter. (Lumen Fidei The Light of Faith technically his first Encyclical was in fact largely the work of Pope Benedict). An encyclical letter is an authoritative teaching letter by a Pope which becomes part of the general teaching of the Church. This means it must be taken seriously. This whole, long and very carefully prepared and worded document is also addressed to the world in general. Pope Francis sees it as part of the Church’s dialogue with the world. Certainly the issues concern the whole world. “The creation accounts in the book of Genesis contain, in their own symbolic and narrative language, profound teachings about human existence and its historical reality. They suggest that human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself. According to the Bible, these three vital relationships have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin. The harmony between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole was disrupted by our presuming to take the place of God and refusing to acknowledge our creaturely limitations. This in turn distorted our mandate to “have dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), to “till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). As a result, the originally harmonious relationship between human beings and nature became conflictual (cf. Gen 3:1719). It is significant that the harmony which Saint Francis of Assisi experienced with all creatures was seen as a healing of that rupture. Saint Bonaventure held that, through universal reconciliation with every creature, Saint Francis in some way returned to the state of original innocence. [40] This is a far cry from our situation today, where sin is manifest in all its destructive power in wars, the various forms of violence and abuse, the abandonment of the most vulnerable, and attacks on nature.” (66) The encyclical examines the state of the environment and all the scientific and other evidence that points to the fact that we are in a critical moment. Saving the world which is both God’s gift and destined for glory too, is an urgent task. He examines the many causes which have contributed to this critical state, many of these are neglect, greed, ineffective political policies or perceptions and chronic financial mismanagement which led to the recent crisis. The causes of which have not been seriously addressed either. He then offers a Christian (and Judeo Christian) interpretation of the fundamental relationships as described above. He offers this confident that it can offer meaning for the world. One of the important fundamental principles he enunciates is about the relationship between environmental destruction and human poverty. “The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation. In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet: “Both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest”. [48]… “It needs to be said that, generally speaking, there is little in the way of clear awareness of problems which especially affect the excluded. Yet they are the majority of the planet’s population, billions of people. These days, they are mentioned in international political and economic discussions but one often has the impression that their problems are brought up as an afterthought, a question which gets added almost out of duty or in a tangential way, if not treated merely as collateral damage…Indeed, when all is said and done, they frequently remain at the bottom of the pile.” (49) This very significant elaboration of the Church’s social teaching is an urgent call for action and will require further analysis and comment.
St Vincent de Paul gravely concerned at Budget impact The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Northern Ireland is gravely concerned at the impact of continuing cuts in public spending on those already having difficulty making ends meet.
Welcome
By Pauline Brown, Regional Manager
Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Vincentian News and thank you for your contributions. The staff team in Regional Office have been really busy over the summer months. They have been attending many Area Council meetings to introduce themselves and outline their roles and responsibilities. Establishing key relationships with all of our members is critical to the Society’s success and we all welcome any opportunity to meet and engage with you at either conference or area level. Throughout this edition you will get a flavour of the type of activities the staff can support you with. We have achieved some major milestones over the summer including completion and furnishing of Clare Lodge in Newcastle. The Open Days during August proved very successful ensuring as many members as possible had an opportunity to view the building and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Having now recruited staff we officially opened to guests on Sunday 27 September 2015. Further details available inside this issue! Refurbishment of Regional Office has begun. The re-design of both the shop and the office is an exciting improvement which will give us more modern, accessible and welcoming premises that are fit for purpose to both members of the public, members and volunteers. Please bear with us in the interim as we try and keep disruption to a minimum. Alternative venues for meetings and training are being sourced and will be arranged. As we work together to help those within our community who need the Society’s assistance, I would wish to give you my assurance that the staff in Regional Office are here to support you in your role, so please feel welcome to contact us at anytime. As we embark on what is our busiest season, in the words of the American businessman, Sam Walton, let us remember: “We are all working together, that’s the secret.”
Your news in Vincentian News! Do you have an event or a story that you would like to see featured in a future issue of Vincentian News? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Just email the details of your event and a picture if you have one to karen@dcppr.co.uk.
The Society’s concern is reinforced by the assessment of the Institute of Fiscal Studies think tank which concluded that the poorest will be hardest hit by the Budget measures. SVP Northern Regional President, Aidan Crawford, said “We in the SVP deal on an ongoing basis with people on benefits who are already finding difficulty in making ends meet either because of the inadequacy of the support provided or because the benefits have been stopped or suspended while cases are reviewed. We are aware, too, of an already high level of uncertainty and anxiety among these people about the future as a result of the Assembly’s continued indecision on implementing earlier Westminster reforms that are expected to have an impact on the worse off in our society. The anticipated impact of the Government’s latest £12billion further cuts over the next five years can only add further to this anxiety.” Mr Crawford also expressed disappointment that the measures are expected to have an adverse impact on those in work. “We have, over recent years, been finding ourselves helping people who are in work but experiencing financial hardship either as a legacy of the property crash or because wages and working conditions are insufficient to provide a living wage. Analysts at IFS have calculated that, regrettably, lowpaid workers will actually be worse off as a result of the changes announced by the Chancellor.” The Society believes that, in view of all of this, it can only expect further pressure on its already stretched resources and is appealing to politicians to ensure that an adequate living wage and working conditions are in place and that the vulnerable in our society are protected from the ravages of austerity.
Aidan Crawford
Clare Lodge reopens its doors Clare Lodge Centre reopened on Sunday 27th September 2015 and is one of the few holiday centres that will open all year round. The Centre can accommodate 42 individuals in 19 en-suite bedrooms and comprises of nine twin rooms, six large double rooms and four family rooms. There is a large dining hall, a lounge area and an outside seating area with a full view of the beach. We will continue to provide recuperative breaks for fit and mobile elderly persons, families and single parents with children across Ireland, in a warm comfortable and welcoming environment. The Centre will also offer accommodation for youth groups, other community and voluntary organisations and anyone in need. All rooms are wheelchair accessible with a lift for ease of access and include free internet access, flat screen televisions and tea and coffee making facilities. We can offer week-long breaks Sunday to Saturday as well as mid-week and weekends on a full board basis which includes, breakfast, lunch, evening meal and supper. Bed and breakfast and tailored group options are also available on request. Clare Lodge is more than just a holiday centre. It is a haven of peace and tranquillity for people who badly need a break from the pressures of the day-to-day life but whom for a variety of reasons, cannot afford the expense of a holiday. Situated in the vibrant seaside town of Newcastle County Down, Clare Lodge overlooks the Mourne Mountains and the sea. The Centre is located just off the promenade and is within walking distance of many local shops, arcades, restaurants, cafes and bars and the Royal County Down Golf course. For more information contact: Brenda McLarnon Clare Lodge Centre 3 Castle Place Newcastle, County Down BT33 0AB
One of the family rooms.
Tel: 028 4372 2849 (0044 if dialling from outside Northern Ireland) Email: brenda.mclarnon@svpni.co.uk
Newcastle, County Down.
Training Belfast Area Training Programme Date
Training
Time
Location
Monday 5th October Induction Training Modules 1 & 2 6pm-9pm
NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens Belfast BT15 2GB
Monday 12th October Induction Training Modules 3 & 4 6pm-9pm
NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens Belfast BT15 2GB
Monday 12th October Issues for Migrants & Refugees in 7.30pm Northern Ireland
St Colmcille’s Parish Hall 191a Upper Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 3JB
Monday 19th October Children & Vulnerable Adult Protection 6pm-9pm Awareness Training
NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens Belfast BT15 2GB
To book a place on the Induction Training please contact the Regional Office on 028 9035 1561. If you require training for new members in your area or if you are planning training, please contact your Area President and the Membership Support Officer for your area. We will add your training information to the SVP Northern Region Training Calendar and help ensure that training is well advertised for other Conferences and areas which may have potential members waiting for training.
Super Council meetings Events Diary:
Party Political Conferences to be attended: Ulster Unionist Party 24 October 2015
Over the next couple of months we will be meeting the Community Development Officers of the new Super Council areas to update them on the ongoing work of SVP in their area and to find ways in which we can work together in the future. Dates in the diary so far are:
6 October – Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
19 October – Mid Ulster Council
Social Democratic & Labour Party 13 and 14 November 2015 21 October – Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council
Democratic Unionist Party 20 and 21 November 2015 Alliance Party - 5 March 2016
14 October – Ards and North Down Borough Council & Belfast City
The story behind the red collection box in Armagh In Armagh, SVP members have been working within the local community for more than 162 years. Currently 21 volunteers, aged from 30 to 80 years make up the local SVP group with some only recently joining the Society, whilst others have given 45 years of service. The main aim of SVP is to help families and individuals overcome poverty or disadvantage and the associated stress of living on very low incomes. Volunteers reach out to the whole community regardless of creed, ethnic or social background, health, gender or political opinions and do not judge those who seek assistance but remain there for people no matter what their situation. The work includes helping people at times of financial distress, which may mean offering practical or material support for necessities such as food, fuel, electricity, household goods, clothes or help with school uniforms. It can also involve visits to older people in residential homes or hospitals or volunteering in the local Vincent’s shop to provide a vital service, a friendly chat or a cup of tea. The number of people seeking assistance from SVP has increased in recent years; mostly as a result of the economic decline and rising unemployment levels. SVP is seeing families with mums and dads juggling several part-time jobs just to make ends meet. Nowadays the rising prevalence of the working poor means that those on low wages or existing on the new ‘zero hours contracts’ find it hard to survive, as well as those maybe affected by a sudden illness or redundancy. In Armagh, SVP members make an average of 630 home visits to families and individuals in need each year covering the city and beyond, including Richhill, Markethill and Caledon. Christmas is a particularly busy time and sees around 70 Christmas dinners made for those living on their own or unable to provide for themselves, as well as more than 350 food hampers that are delivered in the Armagh area. This is only made possible through the assistance of local schools and the Lion’s Club which so generously collects the food for distribution. SVP also partners with The Salvation Army for the Annual Toy Appeal which last year provided almost 200 local children with gifts. Education now plays a central part of SVP work in the area. Since 2005, in conjunction with the Southern Regional College, SVP in Armagh has operated a series of accredited education classes in ICT and English Language at its Malachy’s Centre in Ogle Street Since the demand for SVP community classes has been so great, a new Education Centre has been built in Chapel Lane and is now completed. This new building will mean that a variety of new classes such as cookery, sewing and
Armagh Conference members needlework, flower arranging, jewellery making and a host of other classes can be offered to the local community. SVP is always interested in hearing from people who feel they would be able to help. For example, the charity requires a special type of person to carry out home visits. It is vital that the person holds a Christian ethos in reaching out with the hand of friendship without being judgemental and that complete confidentiality and discretion are maintained at all times. The charity is also looking for people who have expertise in IT and admin, particularly younger people, and from those who have a few hours to spare for retail work in Vincent’s charity shop. If you have the time to spare, SVP would love to hear from you. Full training is provided so it can be a great addition to any CV or UCAS form but most if all it is extremely rewarding and your work will contribute to a happier, and in many cases healthier, community. If you are interested in finding out more, please call into the Vincent’s shop on Thomas Street in Armagh and leave your name and contact details or contact Maria Fyfe at SVP Regional Office on 028 9075 0151/maria.fyfe@svpni.co.uk.
Day out in Carlingford St Patrick’s Conference, Newtownards, recently enjoyed a day in Carlingford with senior citizens from the area. Geraldine McGuire, St Patrick’s Conference President, said: “The weather was amazing and helped make the trip really enjoyable. Our volunteers supplied ballot prizes, including a meal for two and quite a few gift sets and perfumes. A huge food hamper was also donated by St Finian’s School and a lovely planter in full bloom. It was a wonderful day enjoyed by all.”
Summer scheme at Mountainview Centre, Belfast Our summer scheme aims were to provide good quality play, learning and care experiences and to promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of all children who attended. It was planned and designed to ensure the children would be able to flourish at home and when they return to school. Central to this work was the ongoing objective of increasing the health, wellbeing and resilience of individuals, families and the wider community. There were 57 local children registered with the scheme this year. The timetable included trips & outings, in-house activities such as arts & crafts, cookery, competitions and outdoor cycling, games, water play, gardening and our special messy day. Thanks to all the parents who put up with the messy fun learning activities and sent their children in clothes that were suitable for messy play, which was just about every day. Also for the times they had to wait outside until the bus returned later than planned. By the end of the Summer scheme they all understood our motto of ‘make plans but be prepared for change’. Some quotes from parents: Special thanks to all the volunteers who give so generously of their time to the scheme. We hope that they enjoyed the experience and we look forward to working with them in the future.
• “This scheme was fantastic, the children learned a lot.” • “They made things they had never made before and visited places they never knew existed.” • “It made my children’s summer holidays.” • “I don’t know what I would do without SVP. during July & August.”
Down Under Pilgrimage to Knock The annual Holy Family Conference pilgrimage to Knock was a great success. All attendees immensely enjoyed the weekend of spiritual reflection and renewal.
The number plate on the car I parked behind in Sorrento, Victoria. Established in Melbourne in 1854 the Society has 303 Conferences, and 102 shops (Vinnie’s) in Victoria alone. Last year members in Victoria helped 660,000 people in need. Sean McGillan, President, St John’s, Coleraine.
FUNDRAISING NEWS
Dunnes bag pack
Cheque Presentation Gerry and Kay Mooney, members of St Pio Conference, receive a cheque for £350 donated to St Vincent de Paul by the Prison Gardening Team, Hydebank Wood. The cheque was presented by Governor, Austin Treacy.
Airport Collection On Friday 16th October, Northern Region will be holding a bucket collection in George Best Belfast City Airport. We will be there from 6am to 7pm and hope to benefit from the generosity of business commuters and holidaymakers alike. If you could spare a few hours to come along to help us collect, please contact Joseph O’Neill on 07921 876235 or joseph.oneill@svpni.co.uk
The monthly draw will come to an end in October but it will restart in the New Year. Look out for more information in the next edition of Vincentian News.
The annual Dunnes Stores bag pack will take place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th October in locations across Ireland. Many thanks to the Conferences taking part and all the best with your fundraising efforts!
Gala Ball
Northern Region is holding a Winter Gala Dinner in Titanic Belfast on Saturday 14th November 2015. This evening will start at 7.30pm with a welcome drink in the magnificent atrium area followed by a three course meal in the beautiful Titanic Suite. After dinner there will be raffle prizes, an auction and you will also have the opportunity to descend the grand staircase and get your photograph taken at this iconic feature. A live band will accompany you as you dance the night away in style! Tickets for members cost £45 and £60 for non-members and each table will accommodate ten people. The dress code is black tie. Please contact Joseph O’Neill on 07921 876235 or joseph.oneill@svpni.co.uk
Regional IT Support for CRM I began work with SVP in April this year and have been busy rolling out the CRM (Portal) system. Since May, 76 members from 37 Conferences have attended training sessions with 32 conferences are now using the system to keep their records and this number is rising steadily. Before joining SVP, I worked in the Civil Service, Halifax, Fujitsu, BT, and just before taking up this role, with Citigroup. Coming from this largely business and corporate-oriented background, I began looking for a more socially rewarding role where I could feel I was making a difference to our communities. I am very excited about the challenge facing the Society in embracing IT. I understand that the system represents a change in practice for many people and that you may have reservations or fears about the system. I can only say I believe the benefits of adopting the system are so many, that I hope they will convince you to give it a try, and remember that I am here to support you whenever you are ready. CRM can help your Conference to keep track of the work you are doing for your own purposes and record this information in a secure way that complies with all the new legislation relating to charitable organisations. Furthermore, as the largest poverty charity in Ireland, the Society is in a unique position to offer powerful statistics about poverty throughout the whole of Ireland and with this information the Society can play a crucial role in being the voice of those suffering from poverty in our country. The statistics gathered will also help with grant and funding applications, which will in turn go to help more of the people who need it.
I must stress that these statistics are anonymous; they relate only to the types of households and people you assist, and the type of help you are giving - not breaking any confidentiality you have with the people you help. Only your Conference can access the personal information you keep about the people you help. Moreover, the system actually allows you to keep doing your work privately and personally while also anonymously highlighting the need that is out there. CRM can help all Vincentians, and the people that need your help, to speak with authority about the poverty that exists in your communities – urban and rural, with real figures and statistics that can’t be argued with. If your Conference would like to find out more about the system, or would like to avail of any training or support, please feel free to contact me. I can offer group sessions or one-to-one support. The training is available at the Regional Office on the Antrim Road, at the offices in West Belfast and Derry and I can also travel to your Conference or to a local centre. In fact much of the training has taken place in member’s homes! Usually the sessions take no longer than an hour and a half and I try to make them informal and enjoyable. I’d like to thank all the members and Conferences I have met so far for the very warm welcomes I have received. I am proud to be working for such a worthwhile organisation and I am dedicated to supporting the inspirational work you do. You can contact me by calling 07921 876237, by emailing damien.mccaskie@svpni.co.uk or by writing to the Regional Office at 196-200 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 2AJ.
Saint Vincent de Paul – Membership Support Officers Within the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul our Area Presidents hold an important role providing a link between our Conferences and the Regional Board. To ensure the Area Presidents have the support they need to carry out this role, two Membership Support Officers (MSOs) are now based in the Northern Region. How can the Membership Support Officer support our Area/Conference? The MSOs can provide assistance, help share and develop good practice and provide guidance in many areas, including: - Assisting with the promotion of member/volunteer opportunities - Administration of the membership recruitment in compliance with SVP’s Membership Recruitment Policy and keeping accurate, up-to-date member records - Completing Access NI checks on new members and volunteers - Checking and validating references - Assisting Area Presidents with the organising of training for new members - Issuing of ID cards - Provide a point of contact to deal with membership queries and signpost our Conferences to support - Working with Area and Conference Presidents to ensure that members have the opportunity to access additional training, which will ensure they have the right skills set and information to deliver an efficient service - Assist with succession planning of office bearers within Conferences and ensuring they get the training and support they need to carry out their roles. - Assist Area Presidents to ensure that quality visitation is delivered across their areas - Help develop and share good practice as well as sharing good news stories - Help improve communication between our members and both the Regional and National Offices - Help to thank and reward our members/volunteers for their dedication and support. The Membership Support Officers haven’t been in their roles for very long but they have been working with Area Presidents to build effective working relationships and establishing regular communication. A new national policy on membership recruitment has been developed and will be available to Conferences in the Northern Region in the very near future. The MSOs will be on hand to assist with the roll out of this new policy and answer any queries our members may have on the new policy and procedures.
Who are our Membership Support Officers?
Maria Fyfe is based at Regional Office, Belfast and provides support in the following areas: -
East Antrim West Belfast East Down Newry & Mourne
- Mid Antrim - South & East Belfast - St Martin’s - Armagh & Craigavon
Tel: 028 9075 0151/07718 588606 Email: maria.fyfe@svpni.co.uk
- North Belfast - North Down & Ards - Kilmegan
Joann Barr is based in the Derry Office and provides support in the following areas: - North Antrim & NE Derry - Strabane - Omagh
- North Derry - Mid Ulster - Fermanagh
Tel: 028 7137 7311/07738 837891 Email: joann.barr@svpni.co.uk
- Derry City - East Tyrone
Vincent’s Shops AGM – Northern Region Friday 4 September saw the coming together of Shop Managers, Shop Committee Members and Area Presidents for the second Vincent’s Shops AGM in the Northern region. The event was moderated by Cormac Wilson, Chairperson of the Regional Shop Committee. Topics up for discussion included regional and national retail strategies, HR policies and procedures, volunteer recruitment and raising the profile of the shops. The liveliest discussions centred on the topic of recycling. Given the poor state of recycling markets and falling recycling rates, this topic took on much greater significance. All present took part in workshops to discuss how to reuse stock better prior to recycling and innovative ideas for increasing sales. A fun and informative part of the day was when everyone was asked to price an outfit which had been selected by the Regional Shops’ Coordinator, Ruairi Murray. The outfit was an eclectic mix of high street, designer and vintage items including a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. The closest guess on the day came from Portadown Shop Manager, Deirdre McElhatton. National Retail Development Manager, Dermot McGilloway, commented: “The lively discussions on the day will assist the National and Regional Shop Committees to formulate strategies for tackling issues that face our Vincent’s shops.” The event closed with an address from Regional President, Aidan Crawford, highlighting the important role the shops play within the Society.
Rosemary Street Vincent’s – the new face of the Society in Belfast City Centre St Vincent de Paul in the Northern Region has welcomed the opening of its 31st shop in the Region in Rosemary Street, Belfast. The new shop is the first time the Society has had a retail presence in Belfast City Centre. Rosemary Street itself is an historic and bustling thoroughfare in what is now a conservation area. The building that the shop now occupies dates from the 1880s and during renovation works the original 1880s signage on the building was uncovered showing the usage of the building as a wine and spirit merchants. The Regional Shops’ Coordinator, Ruairi Murray, worked with Conservation Planners to ensure the preservation of this signage and other original features of the building. The shop itself provides a great mix of high street and designer clothing and bric-a-brac. But the key focus is on all things vintage. The atmosphere in the shop is created by playing 1930s and 1940s music and by the staff who regularly dress in vintage clothing. The shop is already proving a strong draw for Belfast shoppers and is helping to raise the profile of the Society in the city.
Youth Update by Claire Morgan The beginning of the school year is upon us again and the National Youth Team have been busily working away during the summer for this very important time of year for the Youth Programme. We now have new resources and services available for all of those who are engaging with our young people on a yearly basis. This is exciting news as the last two years have been fastpaced and we have all learned so much, in particular how to create a structure where our young people, leaders and teachers are recognised for their tremendous efforts and support in their works also. The summer kicked off with Camp Vincent again this year in the last weekend of June. Camp Vincent was located again in Todd’s Leap Adventure Centre, with accommodation at the Ulster American Folk Park and we had approximately 40 people attend in total. We started the weekend with a few house rules, followed by icebreakers all before we tucked into a nice dinner and tried to get some sleep in order to prepare for the next day’s adventures!
The staff at Todd’s Leap were amazing as they kicked off the weekend with various activities such as the climbing wall, paintball, off-road rallying, team building challenges and off-road driving! After lunch we started our first session of SVP workshops which began with the work of SVP, which started with a game of Social Justice People Bingo to get everyone warmed up! This was followed with a mindmap on SVP’s Three Core Pillars. At this stage, everyone’s energy levels were depleting, so it was time for a break. After break time we started with session two of our workshops which focused on poverty, which began with another mindmap about different types of poverty. We then engaged in a Walking Debate on Poverty; this in particular made the leaders realise that we had such a great group away with us as the level of answers the young people were giving were very high, which meant that they were so well informed through their SVP work in school! Next, we split the camp into focus groups where they worked on different social justice action projects. Overall, ideas for their SVP work in school. The next day, they were off like bullets down the zipline to wake them up early in the morning! This was then followed by a Faith Development Workshop, where they reflected on the idea of God’s love and that ‘Joy is deeper than happiness’. With a final prayer, they filled in their friendship cards and evaluations and it was off to lunch followed by a team photo!
Camp Vincent really gives those involved with SVP and the Youth Programme the chance to get to know the young people in the programme. It also allows us to avail of the opportunity to develop the Youth Programme also. In conclusion, we had an amazing group this year and I think I can speak for all the Camp Leaders to say that they were an absolute pleasure to get to know and we could all see future Vincentians amongst us. Testimonials: “Camp Vincent was great! I will be back next year...thank you.” Glen, Newry. “I would like it to be longer as on Saturday I was only really getting to know everyone. It was full of fun activities...love to come back!” Sophie, Knock. “Ziplines are scary! I now understand the meaning of joy, who loves me and how we can help those in need.” Declan, Belfast. “I thought it was a brilliant opportunity for young people across NI to get together and learn more about the work of SVP.” Aoife, Belfast. “I learned that joy is bigger than everything and that God loves me.” Martina, Belfast. “I learned that I got over my fear of heights, it is important to surround yourself with people who love you and that we can make a difference to other people.” Lauren, Armagh.
2015 Christmas cards Our Christmas cards for 2015 are now on sale and available to Conference Presidents to order. There are two options for delivery - delivery to your local Vincent’s shop or paid delivery to your local bus station. For those Conferences who sell their cards direct to the general public, this year’s suggested Retail Price is £3.00 per packet. All shops will be selling to the public at this price. Posters for public display will be sent with orders. A discounted rate of £2.25 per packet will be applied to any Conference or shop that orders more than 100 packs in one order. Please complete your Order Form and return it along with payment to SVP Regional Office, 196-200 Antrim Road, Belfast BT15 2AJ. Cheques should be made payable to “SVP Northern Regional Council”. Please record this transaction in your treasurer’s book as Monthly Internal Expenditure – Purchase and Payment For Services – 28130 – as XYZ in the “Details” column. For Agresso users the “Other Conference” code is “160101”.
John Campbell RIP
Cards are sold on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so you may not always get your first choice; however, we will stay as close to your order as is possible. For practical reasons, if your Conference only requires a few packets (ie less than 20), we strongly suggest that you approach your local shop first.
www. svp-ni.co.uk
With the death of John Campbell in hospital on 24th September 2014 after a long illness, St Patrick’s Conference in Aghagallon - and the wider SVP - lost one of the Society’s most dedicated members. Aged 80, he was a member of the Society for almost 60 years and, despite his illness, continued to take a great interest in Conference affairs and attended the Conference’s 2014 AGM. John held the office of President for six years and was President of the Armagh and Craigavon Area Council from 1990-1993. John and his wife Mary, who is also a member of the Aghagallon Conference, are very highly regarded throughout the Parish and beyond.
Christmas Cards 2015
A farmer with many interests outside of the Society, John was a man with very strong faith, a member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, a member of the local Lourdes Committee and a Minister of the Word. Crucially, he was a true Vincentian who went about quietly in his service of those in need.
£3.00
per pack By buying our cards you will help us to fight poverty and loneliness in the community.
John was laid to rest in the cemetery adjoining St. Patrick’s Church Aghagallon following a Requiem Mass that was attended by a large number of mourners and a guard of honour by members of the Conference. To his wife Mary, his sons Sean and Neil and his daughters Majella, Anne Theresa and Patricia – we convey our deepest sympathy. May his kind soul rest in peace.
2015 Members’ Day – a great success Armagh City Hotel was the venue for this year’s Members’ Day which took place on Saturday 26 September. SVP Northern Regional President, Aidan Crawford, introduced the event. In his speech he talked about the importance of listening to the full story, particularly now as the migrant and refugee crisis raises more issues for SVP and he outlined what SVP was doing as a charity: “SVP is heavily involved with refugees and migrants in Syria, Iraq, Lebannon, Jordan and France. Locally we have been collecting aid tents, clothing, medical supplies. We are working to send out container loads of aid to the more remote refugee camps in areas including Lesbos and Kos. “We are also working on a strategy to cope when and if migrants arrive here. Our intention would be to make all our holiday homes available as accommodation including Kerdifferstown, Morning Town, Bundoran and Clare Lodge.” Regional Manager, Pauline Brown, spoke of the demands on the social and voluntary sector. Pauline talked about SVP having a gatekeeper role in dealing with social injustice and poverty and also outlined current SVP developments, including the ongoing refurbishment of the SVP Regional Office and the upcoming gala ball in November. The theme of the Members’ Day was ‘Communication in St Vincent de Paul - Going Forward’ and there was a morning presentation from three SVP Conference Presidents on ‘Conferences and Communication’. Veronica Fee spoke from
a ‘rural’ perspective. Veronica, from Tempo village in Co Fermanagh, highlighted the group’s need for fuel, food vouchers, toys and hampers and its work alongside social services. Kathy Donnelly, from Armagh SVP spoke from an ‘urban’ perspective. She told the Members’ Day that the SVP has had a presence in Armagh for 162 years. Looking forward to the busy Christmas period, Kathy said that last year 96 families were given Christmas toys, while more than 300 Christmas hampers were prepared and delivered to those in need. Kathy also spoke of the ‘Brolly Club’ for senior citizens and which meets every Thursday in the Royal British Legion. Stephen Murphy, from St Bernadettes, Belfast, spoke from a ‘city’ perspective. He pointed out how SVP works with other agencies including Citizens’ Advice, Age NI and NIACRO. He talked about the importance of the thrift shop on the Ormeau Road for locals in that area and the international link with the Belfast group being twinned with a Conference in Ghana. After lunch the guest speaker was Mark Turner, Homeless Services Manager with the Belfast based Welcome Organisation, which adopts a non-judgemental approach to homelessness. Mark’s address focused on the developing problem of homelessness in the city and the issues of drug and alcohol addiction.