Pastoral Care Group

The Pastoral Care group was started as a small group to assist the Parish clergy to discharge their duty to the sick and housebound.

The members make sure that the sick and housebound in the Parish are visited regularly.

Co-ordinated by Ann Rolf, the Pastoral Care Group currently has six members, each of whom is allotted two or three people to visit. There isn't a rota and the visiting is done as and when required. Those visited are mainly the known housebound or sick. Everything is done on an informal basis: the group of visitors does not hold meetings. It is acknowledged, however, that others could benefit from visiting.

The Union of Catholic Mothers

The UCM is one of the oldest organisations in the Parish, and is affiliated to a wider network of Unions throughout the diocese.

Its aims are Fundraising, social and pastoral works.

The parish branch of the UCM has eighteen registered members who pay a £6 registration fee. Meetings are held fortnightly and are normally attended by 8 ~ 12 members. Money raising activities take place to fund charitable works. Whilst the UCM become involved in a number of social projects, pastoral activities undertaken, include support for the families and friends of bereaved members of the parish, when requested, which includes preparing refreshments after funeral services. The UCM also co-ordinate the cleaning of the Church.

Association of Separated and Divorced Catholics (ASDC) (external link)

This national body, with local branches, is supported by the Bishops' Conference. It is not based solely in this Parish.

THE ADSC offers support and friendship to Catholics who are either going through or have gone through the pain of separation, divorce and annulment.

The ASDC has a south London branch, based at 11 Village Way Beckenham. Meetings are held every second Monday of the month and are open to all who have difficulties in this sensitive area. A chaplain attends meetings, which offer a mix of spiritual and practical help, and are frequently led by experts in the field. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and deliberately aimed at enabling bruised and hurt people to grow in confidence and re-establish their own self-esteem.

Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health (APCMH)(external link)

Although the APCMH is not a parish or Catholic organisation, it has strong connections with St William of York, having been founded in 1988 by Gail Cotton, who continues to run the organisation.

The APCMH provides a "drop in" centre for people with mental health problems, based in the church hall at Christ Church and St Paul, Church Rise, Forest Hill. The organisation has always been linked with the Forest Hill area.

The volunteers who staff the centre come from the local community, including a number from St William of York, which has always been very supportive. The annual mental health flag day and collection always sees St William of York providing the best collection!

People who use the "drop in" centre, which opens once a week, have a variety of mental health problems, but counselling and advice as such are not offered unless requested. The volunteers offer one evening every two weeks and participate in all the activities on offer. They make the tea and refreshments and help to organise the programme of excursions. Some casual befriending also takes place.

Primarily the "drop in" centre offers a social club scene, with pastimes such as bingo and table- tennis. Some fringe counselling, support and advice is offered outside the "drop in", but APCMH is acutely aware of the danger of losing its volunteers if they are overburdened. Currently there are 14 -15 volunteers and the organisation could do with one or two more. It would be advantageous to have more younger people involved, especially men. At the present time, 2/3 of the volunteers are women. A greater ethnic mix would also be helpful as 40% of clients are black. As most clients walk to the "drop in" centre and live no more than ten minutes away, there is scope, perhaps, according to the organisers, for more "drop in" centres in the district.

Parish Christmas Bazaar

The annual Christmas Bazaar has been the major Parish fundraising and social event for as long as anyone can remember and is probably the biggest single fundraising activity of the year! It is organised by a committee of about ten people who work extremely hard between mid September and early December. None of this work would count for anything were it not for the generosity and support of the people of the Parish. We appeal for gifts for the stalls - they appear. We ask for raffle tickets to be sold - they are. And most importantly on the day, people turn up to buy and to make the day into a great social event.

Mother and Baby Singing Group

This is a group for mothers/fathers/carers with young children (ages 0-4). We meet in the Parish Centre every week during term-time to sing songs and play percussive instruments with the children for about half and hour, and then have tea, coffee and chat! Everyone, including non-parishioners, is welcome to come along on a regular or occasional basis. New faces always welcome!

Counting Everyone In