SVP

St. Vincent was born of poor parents in the village of Pouy (Paul) in Gascony, France, around 1580. He became a priest, and compassion and charity were his predominant virtues. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) was founded in Paris in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam who, together with a group of friends, became servants of the poor. They named their society in honour of St Vincent, and today’s SVP aim is exactly as it was in 1833 – to tackle poverty in all its forms through the provision of practical assistance to those in need.

The Settle SVP group make person-to-person contact by home visits to the sick, the vulnerable and the lonely, and material or financial assistance is provided when such need is identified.

A thriving and regular collection of unwanted furniture, white goods, household items and clothing, etc, takes place and items donated are passed on to those in need.

Funds raised go towards the running of disability projects, soup runs, children’s camps and various furniture stores, support centres, providing accommodation to vulnerable people, holiday schemes. All people in need benefit from these services, regardless of their faith, if any; or their gender, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

For further detail please see www.stvincents-svp.org.uk.

Settle SVP work in close collaboration with Settle Churches Together and many other local organisations.

For more detail of the SVP please see www.svp.org.uk.

If you live in the Settle and Bentham areas and are in need, or you know someone who is, please e-mail settlesvp@btinternet.com.

The e-mail address can also be used to arrange donations of items to Settle SVP and it can further be used by people thinking of joining or assisting the Society. Extra help is always required, as the harvest is often plentiful, but the labourers are few!