Attendees: OC = Owen Clutton (Chair), FB = Fr Bryan, JA = June Adams, JC = Jim Callinan, DB = Diana Belts, BF = Breda Ford, SH = Simon Howell, PL = Peter Lowe, CP = Caroline Price, KS = Kathryn Salter, TW = Teresa Wells

9 attendees: OC = Owen Clutton (Chairman), PL = Peter Lowe, DB = Diana Betts, AM = Angela Martin,

TW = Teresa Wells, JA = June Adams, RW = Roger Wright, GT = Geraldine Thompson, FB = Fr Bryan (part-time)

Apologies were received from: Mary O'Mahony

Agreed actions shown in bold red type.

1. Minutes of last meeting

OC asked if a Mass request had been made for Ambrose Lukele, RIP. RW confirmed that the Mass would be on Thursday 15th August (Feast of the Assumption). Contributions to the Mass stipend were made by all present.

RW asked for general advice on the usefulness of he minutes which he publishes on the website as few comments are ever received from J&P members. The meeting agreed they should be continued.

2. Traidcraft stall

DB reported that the takings last time were £296. It was agreed that having a stall on a Parade Mass weekend would not be a good idea as the congregation tends to head straight for the hall after Mass.

GT noted that having two tables was a good idea.

DB also mentioned that grocery sales at the Saturday evening Mass have been particularly good. The next stall is 28/29th September.

TW said there is a missionary appeal on that weekend, but it shouldn’t pose a problem.

3. Bromley Borough Foodbank

OC said 107kg was collected on 20th/21st July. This was less than last time, but it should be borne in mind that the Manna Centre collection had been 5 weeks earlier. OC reported that Mary Beckingham had said 6 tonnes of food were collected after the Tesco Foodbank weekend. Two members of the parish helped with this. OC explained that the set up for the special Tesco collections is to have two volunteers giving out leaflets at the entrance, further in there are desks where shoppers can deposit food items, the items are then put on trolleys.

It was suggested that in future the summer Manna Centre collection should be for toiletries so it does not interfere with the Foodbank.

The next Foodbank collection will be 16/17th November. This will be 6 weeks after the harvest Manna Centre collection (5/6th October).

RW noted that a LiveSimply Creation Mass was scheduled for the Harvest weekend this year. He would be passing on suggestions to Fr Bryan for the liturgy received from another LiveSimply parish.

RW said that at the moment the Foodbank does not want any more soup. Interestingly, any bizarre items they receive are left for clients to rummage through and help themselves.

4. LiveSimply update

RW ran through relevant parts of the action plan explaining the progress made.

The nature walk and picnic organised by Firm Believers group on the previous evening was a great success despite only 15 people taking part. At the end of the picnic one of the group’s members suggested a collection be taken up for CAFOD and £40 was taken up. This had been sent to Connect2: Bangladesh.

The next major event would be Leave the Car at Home Weekend planned for 14/15th September. RW appealed for help in distributing flyers the weekend before and also for ideas to make it a more enjoyable and inclusive event.

The LiveSimply Garden was coming on well after three sessions of site clearance. The plan is to have it ready to open for the parish’s 75th anniversary celebrations next July. Hopefully the Archbishop will bless the garden at an open air Mass and even present the parish with the LiveSimply award. The final 6 tree stumps were removed at the last sessions but a lot more work is needed and hence volunteers will be very welcome when things resume after the holiday season. DB suggested that work could be done midweek by retired parishioners and she could help providing clear instruction were provided.

5. Any other business

There was discussion about how J&P could be involved with the youth of the parish. RW suggested that CAFOD should be asked to run one of their confirmation sessions as this would be a great introduction to social justice issues. FB was under the impression that this had already been arranged.

FB said that the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day talk was to take place after the collection day. RW queried the logic of this and FB agreed to re-arrange with CAFOD if possible.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 9.45pm.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 25th September at 7.45pm.