The Surrey Hills/Wattle Park Conference marks 91 years of operation this year. It was formally established in March 1935, operating out of Our Holy Redeemer Church. In 1955, after Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church was built, the Conference changed its’ name to encompass both church communities and we have been known as that ever since!
Today we have six members and two associate members from across both church communities who visit and assist, on average, around five to six people a week. Winter and Christmas are peak periods for calls and assistance. Assistance takes many forms such as supermarket food cards, educational assistance, paying utility bills, advocacy, entitlements education and (more often than not) social interaction, friendship, empathy and compassion. Our conference also takes on long term projects – we have supported a boy with his educational costs, since his early schooling years until the end of this year, his Year 12 and final year at school. It is with some pride that we see him doing well at school and looking towards university and a better future for himself and his mother.
The Society has a saying “we offer a hand up, not a handout” meaning we try to assist people to lift themselves out of their situation and back onto their feet. The boy above is an example of how we live this ethos to ensure funds are provided to those in most need – be that short or long term. This year the Winter Appeal has the slogan “Homelessness is just one sudden crisis away”. This reminds us that we all can fall on hard times when a crisis strikes us. The Society, or Vinnies, is there for all of us in those times.
The St Vincent de Paul Society receives no Government funding and relies totally on fundraising and charitable donations – so we need your help! The Winter Appeal is one of your opportunities to contribute to the works of the Society. I ask you to seriously consider donating. You can donate to the Society by picking up a donation envelope available in our churches or online via the Vinnies website, please make sure you nominate you local conference in the Comments field. Should you wish to donate directly to Surrey Hills/Wattle Park Conference, thus ensuring your donation funds local assistance, please see one of the conference members (Margaret Cull at Our Holy Redeemer or Phil Mann at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour) to arrange the best way for such a donation to be made.
Thank you to all who donated in the past and will do this year. It is greatly appreciated.
God Bless
The SVDP Annual Winter Appeal collection will take place in our churches on the weekend of 25/26 July.
Main image: Vinnies website – Winter Appeal Victoria
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
Telephone: 03 9816 9291
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Tue - Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm