Social Groups, Charity and Volunteering

There are many wonderful groups to belong to, and places to volunteer to support parish life and the wider community; have a look through, and see what you would most like to try!

There is a separate page for groups and activities especially for children and young people.

Knit and Natter

The club is for anyone who enjoys companionship, and it helps to build a friendly community of parishioners who enjoy meeting and sharing on Mondays between 2.30pm to 4.30pm in the Lourdes Room in the Parish Centre. For further information, please contact Mary Murnane via the Parish Office.

Golden Club

The club is for anyone aged 60+. Weekly gatherings are held each Wednesday 1pm – 3pm in the Walsingham Hall in the Parish Centre, and normally include a raffle, tea and biscuits and a game of Bingo. There are also regular trips out, and a Christmas lunch. The group is a wonderful social network for all who come along. Please contact Geraldine Ellis via the Parish Office.

St Vincent de Paul Society

The St Vincent de Paul Society helps those in the parish who are in great need; they support families with clothing, food and furniture, as well as reaching out to older parishioners to provide accompaniment if people are lonely. They are a very welcoming group, and are always open to new members. To volunteer with the SVP is a way to live faith very practically within our local community. To find out more contact Geraldine Ellis via the parish office or look at the SVP national website

Trussell Trust – local foodbanks

Several parishioners volunteer at local foodbanks, and the parish has crates in the church to receive donations for the foodbank each week; keep an eye on the newsletter to see what is most needed at any one time. To find out more contact Judith Nichols via the parish office or look at the Trussell Trust national website

Parish Charities Committee

This group of dedicated parishioners nominate and raise money for a number of local charities during the year, with fundraisers such as the Strawberry Tea, Lenten Lunches and Bring and Buy sales. This committee is open to all, and always welcomes support in arranging events; for more information please contact the parish office.

Sunday morning welcome and hospitality

As people arrive for Mass – especially new parishioners – it is wonderful for them to be welcomed with a smile, and by someone who is familiar with the parish. Hopefully someone welcomed you when you first arrived – could you be the one to welcome someone else? Contact the parish office for more information.

After 9.30am and 11.30am Mass there are simple refreshments of cakes, tea and coffee in the parish centre – could you help prepare and serve these? Contact the parish office for more information.

Church Cleaners

The care of God’s dwelling is a fulfilling and important ministry.

St Edward the Confessor has a number of teams to ensure the church is fit for Mass. These include the church and hall cleaning teams, ably supported by the brass cleaners and the laundry team. We are always in need of volunteers, men or women. If you have some time to spare, please contact Maria Mernin via the Parish Office.

Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

If you would like to read at Mass, or assist as an Extraordinary Minister of Communion, please contact Fr Dominic via the Parish Office. These are wonderful ways to serve the community – they do require training, and commitment. Fr Dominic will be very happy to talk with you more about this.

Flower Arranging

The Flower Arranging team are known as “The Petals.” Anyone is welcome to volunteer and to create floral decorations which help to set the mood for liturgical seasons within the Church. If you want to learn how to be a flower arranger, then there is expert help available! Contact Julie Smith via the Parish Office for more information.

Music at Mass

We have a vibrant choir that provide music once a fortnight at the 11.30am Mass, and a wonderful youth group (age approx 14-20 years) that lead music at the 9.30am Mass once a fortnight. New members are always very welcome. Please ask the person leading the group at the end of Mass, or get in touch with Fr Dominic if you would like to join. In addition, we have an organist who plays at 9.30am and 11.30am Masses once a fortnight, so that each of the Sunday Masses always have live music.

Cafod

Twice a year – in Lent and in October – the Cafod “Fast Day” provides a focus for charitable giving for some of the poorest people in the world. The parish actively supports Cafod and you can find out more on the Cafod website, or by contacting Joan Murphy via the parish office.

Fair Trade

The parish is pleased to be accredited as a “Fair Trade Church”. This means that we use fair trade tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar and biscuits at meetings as well as promoting Fair Trade whenever we can. We use Fair Trade chocolate gifts for the children at Christmas, and Fair Trade Communion wine at Mass, and we promote Fair Trade Fortnight each year. For more information look at the Fair Trade Foundation website and to volunteer to help during Fair Trade fortnight, contact the parish office.