Attendees: JC = Jim Callinan, BF = Breda Ford, DB = Diana Betts, MM = Mary O'Mahoney, FB = Father Bryan, TW = Teresa Wells, PL = Peter Lowe, DM = David McCabe, CP = Caroline Price
Apologies were received from Owen Clutton, June Adams, Kathryn Salter, Simon & Madeleine Howell, Roger Wright.
1. COLLECTIONS
1.1 A large amount of clothing and food was collected for the Manna Centre on the weekend of 19/20th March.
1.2 Also Jim Simmons of CAFOD was impressed with amount raised from the CAFOD Lent Fast Day.
1.3 FB noted that the Mozart Concert raised about £1,700 from ticket sales and about £300 form the retiring collection. The profits will go to the Special Care Baby Unit at the Princess Royal University Hospital.
2. FAIRTRADE
2.1 BF: When Rainbow shuts on Holy Saturday, Fairtrade goods will not be so easily available. Perhaps we should start a weekly Fairtrade stall? At the moment Rainbow stocks chocolate, biscuits, coffee and possibly dry goods.
2.2 JC: We ran a tuck shop for the Youth Groups. It was surprising how quickly use by dates arrived. Sometimes we had to give things away as a result.
2.3 BF: We could store the items on the shelf in the repository. TW: It would be better not to use the repository. Perhaps we can recruit a team to help. JS & MM: we are happy to help on Saturday Evenings, when we are here. BF & MM: We should start with biscuits and coffee. TW: We could then stock more items by request.
2.4 JC: I think we should trial this. Wooden goods are available from specialist suppliers.
2.5 DM: The mark up for the final sellers is usually 10%. DB: Are there any legal problems to selling? BF: I don't believe so. Traidcraft, one of the wholesalers, is aware that churches sell the goods on. DM: We should get costs together before asking Peter Keen to buy Fairtrade items, e.g. toilet rolls.
2.6 BF: The "best" range at Morrison's now includes some Fairtrade items. MM: The original problem with Fairtrade coffee was not the price, but the taste. Perhaps we should buy up the surplus stock from Rainbow?
2.7 BF: I am meeting Diana, with regards to the repository, but I know there are other potential buyers.
2.8 CP and KS will sort out J&P Fair.
2.9 FB: Fairtrade Fair: This will be on 29th May {Roger has confirmed this with the Traidcraft stall holder, Mark Gill since the meeting}. However Veronica Ellison will be returning to sell Peruvian goods on 29th March.
3. YOUTH GROUPS
3.1 JC: The problem with the Youth Groups recently, is the lack of numbers. His has been the case since the snow last year. There is a problem with Mass attendance, particularly after they reach secondary school. Some are not at Catholic Secondary Schools.
3.2 MM: The parents need to have more enthusiasm.
3.3 JC: Last year there were 25 confirmation candidates, but three years ago there were 50. Last year we tried to organise a Confirmation party, but there were only two replies.
3.4 MM: Although young people have a lot of activities at weekends, there are Masses on Saturday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday evening. This is not a reason for non-attendance.
4. SOCIAL CENTRE REFURBISHMENT
4.1 DM: There should be some environmental schemes included in the project, e.g. the installation of solar panels on the hall roof. However, I am unsure of the payback time {usually about 10-11 years}.
4.2 JC: There are some good deals available, particularly with the large expanse of roof on the hall. Surplus electricity can be sold back to the National Grid. Specialist builders can install solar panels. There will be no need to wait for the hall rebuild.
4.3 FB: The People's Hall {the Papal Audience Hall roof} in the Vatican was the first building {in the Vatican} to have solar panels. JC: Solar panels could cost about £100,000 to put on the church or hall roof.
4.4 DM: The sell back to the National Grid is guaranteed for 15 years {25 years in fact}. DM to research cost and scoping of solar panel installation.
4.5 JC: Planning permission for solar panels is not likely to be a problem. All new houses appear to have panels fitted.
4.6 TW: The parish should be able to have recycling facilities. I am not aware of any extra cost for this. In theory we could take items to the Presbytery.
4.7 BF: the recycling collectors might not collect large amounts from one address. JC: If this is classified as commercial waste, this could be a problem.
5. IDEAS FOR A NEW CHARITY TO SUPPORT
5.1 DB: It would be nice support a charity that someone in the parish knows.
5.2 MM: Is it worth getting a flyer out at the Masses to see if people know of a suitable charity?
5.3 DB & FB: Perhaps suggestions from parishioners could be placed in a box?
5.4 FB: Can the J&P group become ecumenical? Not all the churches have the same remit, e.g. The Methodist church supports the Whitechapel Mission.
6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
6.1 MM: Discussion of the next chapter of No Hands But Ours (NHBO) should be a priority for the next meeting.
6.2 DB: It would be nice to have another outside speaker.
6.3 FB: There tends to be a problem regarding guaranteeing numbers of attendees at weeknight meetings. However I was impressed that at the Parish Forum we had about 60-70 people present. I think we need to become more focussed and give titles to the meetings, e.g. CAFOD or helping an orphanage. Perhaps to increase numbers we should each aim to invite one other person to the next meeting. Some people in the parish seem solely concerned with the individual devotional model, this is not wrong we can trust the Lord with the next world. What we need to do is try and save this world.
6.4 The next meeting should focus on the J&P Fair. FB to invite Baptists to the J&P Fair after their Sunday Service.
6.5 MM: When should we canvas the parish on a new project? FB: Anytime. We should invite appropriate people to the next meeting. To get hold of people to ask them, you really need to catch them on Sunday morning.
6.6 DB to make 10 extra copies of NHBO.
There being no other business, the meeting finished at 9.35pm.