Bishop Robert visited St. Vincent’s Support Centre in Newcastle on Friday 22nd October to meet with staff, volunteers and service users. The Centre, run by the Society of St. Vincent De Paul (SVP) provides practical help and support for a variety of people in need, including those seeking asylum. They are currently preparing for the arrival of a large number of Afghan asylum seekers to the city. Our Diocesan Justice and Peace Refugee Project is also based at the Centre, and the Bishop was also able to see the great work they continue to do.
Emma Bell, centre manager and Sara Harris, project manager for the Refugee Project, gave Bishop Robert a tour of the facilities at the centre and were able to introduce him to a number of service users. The work of the centre and Refugee Project relies heavily on the generosity of donations received. Recent appeals for financial and practical donations of food and clothing have seen a great response from people across the Diocese.
Bishop Robert spent time chatting to staff and volunteers throughout the centre and was also able to meet a number of service users who had come to the Friday morning drop in.
Reflecting on his visit, Bishop Robert said – ‘It’s been a great privilege to see first hand the sterling work done by not only the SVP but also our Diocesan Justice and Peace Refugee Project, it’s wonderful to see so many people working together on what is one of the pressing needs of our time.’
Looking for more information? Visit the Justice and Peace Refugee Project page here
