SVP 1833 in England & Wales
Oxford University
Where we are...
We are based in Oxford University and have 20 active members, with a wider membersip of around 100. We meet once a week, every Sunday at 10.15am before 11am Chaplaincy Mass. We have been running for several years but organise our own re-launch to encourage new students to join us.
What we do...
- Visiting local elderly people.
- Help at the Gatehouse, serving food and drinks, providing clothing to the homeless
- Help in the Christ Church Home Learning Scheme, helping children who need extra tuition.
- Visiting people in hospital, and as part of the hospital chaplaincy team, bringing Communion at the weekend.
- Help at the Sir Michael Sobell Hospice.
- Help at Asylum Welcome, befriending the many refugees in Oxford
- The Conference continues its work with the homeless who sleep rough in the city, in the Food and Drinks Run, which we started ourselves last year. We are planning to extend this to 4 or 5 mornings a week.
Here are a few thoughts from some of our members who help at the Gatehouse and in our own morning Food & Drinks Run.
“ The work (at the Gatehouse) involves a variety of tasks, from setting up the tables, to doing the washing, making the sandwiches, serving tea/coffee, socialising with the visitors and helping with the computers. Though the work can at times be demanding, there is much to be gained in return - befriending the needy, meeting new people from the local area (as well as other students) and the odd slice of left over cake!” (Marco)
“We put a lot of emphasis on trying to provide company and talk to those on the streets, who are sometimes very lonely, realising our limited capability to provide answers to their many problems. This is in accordance with St Vincent himself, who said that the most important gift we can give is the gift of our time.” (Jessica)
“I think by speaking and spending time with them, we gave them something more sustaining than food and drink. My hope is that the attention and care they received gave them a bit of motivation to do what was in their power to improve their situation. It was also an opportunity for us to share the word of God with them and spread his saving message……
….Working with the homeless puts your own life and opportunities in perspective. Furthermore, many of the people we helped had interesting stories, ideas, and histories. By the end of the year I can definitely say that we have acquired a much better understanding of the lives and situation the homeless are in. I pray that we can use this understanding to help all that we encounter throughout our lives.’ (Tim)
“Even when homeless individuals did not accept coffee or food, they were happy to know that someone was thinking about them. They feel lonely, abandoned, and dispossessed. The morning coffee and sandwich runs were an excellent way to show that other people and God cared about them and their suffering.” (Christopher)
Who to contact...
President – Iarla Manny - Iarla.manny@balliol.ox.ac.uk
[26.7.10]