Clearing the way for the handicapped

THE POLICY of St Margaret's Church, Twickenham, has been to support projects both at home and overseas. During Lent last year we made the theme "Penance with a purpose" and through the keen interest of many families, raised £2,400 for a well in India.
In the autumn, a "home project" was planned. Members of the parish Poverty Action Group met to consider local needs and possible schemes.
The project we decided on was the development of some waste land at the Molesey Venture, a home for mentally handicapped teenagers run by Fr Paul Bidone. a Divine Providence priest. Part of the site of the Molesey Venture was scrub land with a concrete base on it which had to be cleared by bulldozers and the home had no money to pay for this. The advantage of this scheme was that it not only involved raising money but is also provided the opportunities for parishioners to meet the boys. We invited Fr Bidone to speak about the venture at all the Masses one Sunday, and afterwards parishioners asked questions about the work.
One of the Masses was attended by some of the boys and afterwards they joined us in the social hall for C offee.
At the invitation of Fr Bidone some of the parishioners have visited the Molesey Venture and a group of the boys came over to our social club to play darts and table tennis.
In four weeks more than £1,000, which easily paid for the site to be cleared, was raised from a number of sources. Envelopes were given out at Mass, parishioners ran a coffee morning and an old time music hall with great support from a neighbouring parish. The youth club ran a disco and members raised money by babysitting and doing various other chores. All the age groups in the parish were involved. Now we are planning ahead for Lent. We hope to raise £1,000 to sponsor a nurse in the Yemen, and a further LIMO to help set up a catechetical centre in Borneo.
We are coritinuing to support Mother Teresa and Major Gardiner in Calcutta, as well as the Friday Fast Day fund for CAFOD.
Fr Desmond Swan, Parish Priest, St Margaret's, Twickenham.
What sort of projects is your parish working on? Write and let us know.