Tag Archives: SVP

AN Ennis school was honoured at the Young Social Innovators of the Year Ireland (YSI) Awards for its positive impact in helping to create a more equal, fair and sustainable world. Picking up the‘Fun-raising’ award, the team from Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, was recognised for its Poverty is 24/7’ project. This award recognises teams that have brought awareness and raising funds in for a cause in an innovative way. The Gaelcholáiste an Chláir students organised a fundraising event last December in which they took over the running of a local St Vincent de Paul Charity shop for 24 hours to help communicate a message that poverty is 24/7 while also raising funds for SVP. The 16 members of the 4GC class at Gaelcholáiste an Chláir completely managed the Vincent’s shop on Parnell Street for 24 hours offering a Christmas shopping experience with a difference. The students, with the support of teacher Martina McNamara, raised more than €5,500 in funds for the …

THE Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has announced that it is planning to transfer the management of hostels including Laurel Lodge in Ennis to other homeless charities with specialist expertise in the sector. The society says that it believes that the move will benefit those who use the services of its hostels as managing homeless hostels is moving beyond the capacity of a volunteer-led organisation such as SVP. As most of the funding for the hostels comes from the state SVP is in discussion with the respective local authorities and the HSE to facilitate the transfer of its services. There are nine hostels involved which between them have almost 300 beds per night for homeless people. In addition to Laurel Lodge in Ennis they are in, Carlow, Cork (2), Limerick, Longford, (2) Waterford and Wexford. Laurel Lodge provides 13 places for homeless men. SVP National Secretary Andy Heffernan says that as a volunteer-led organisation, the SVP structure is …

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is calling on people all over Ireland to support the Macra na Feirme initiative, Know Your Neighbour, at the weekend. This year the theme is ‘Neighbours – Near and Far’, linking with friends and relatives in the wider Irish diaspora. Macra is encouraging the development of events which include, among others, neighbours who are now living abroad. Now in its ninth year, Know Your Neighbour is a prompt for communities both rural and urban to consider organising events. Macra is also encourage people to take advantage of social media and online technology like Skype as a way of linking up with others. Geoff Meagher, SVP national president said, “The timing of the Macra initiative is appropriate as summer is a time when many community supports may be less active and where groups such as older people or those with long term illnesses, disabilities or caring responsibilities may have less human contact and support than at …