8 attendees: OC = Owen Clutton, DB = Di Betts, GT = Geraldine Thompson, AM = Angela Martin, ML = Miguel Laino, MM= Mary O’Mahony (chair) NB = Nick Babb, RW = Roger Wright.
Agreed actions shown in bold red type.
1. The meeting started with the prayer “Praised Be”
Apologies for absence: June Adams and Ian Stewart.
2. Minutes of last meeting
All outstanding matters had been dealt with or would be discussed as part of the agenda.
3. Traidcraft
DB reported that takings from the stall held on 01-02 July were £268.20 and an additional £20 received since then.
The date of the next stall now coincided with the Autumn Festival on Saturday 30 September. Organisers had suggested the stall should be part of the Festival that afternoon. RW suggested that we could promote the countries of origin for certain products to give provide additional interest at the Festival. This would be in keeping with the cultural diversity theme of the event. Members could email the group with ideas (e.g. posters) in early September.
DB and GT had discussed the possibility of moving the stall from the hall to church in time for 6pm Mass. It would operate at all Masses as usual with a rota to be agreed at the next meeting.
4. Bromley Foodbank
RW reported that donations totalling 1,106kg for 2017 had already exceeded the previous best annual total of 976kg (2016). The delivery rota for the next 3 months was agreed as follows: Aug DB, Sep MM, Oct RW.
5. Manna Centre
The next collection would be 13-14 October (which coincides with CAFOD Harvest Fast Day offertory collecting). NB’s recent day visit to the Centre provided valuable experience on what was needed. It was agreed that the emphasis should be on items such as towels, sleeping bags, toiletries and washing powder. Warm clothes would also be welcome. Food would not be requested on this occasion. NB would produce a full list and submit text for Briefly at least two weeks in advance of the collection.
6. Parish Project
Objectives
The meeting agreed that we need more details on the technical education programme. As to the costs of the programme, RW said that from Fr Joe's emails it seems the likely costs for the initial year would be about €3,000. OC said that it would be helpful to have a case study (for example like the ones given by CAFOD) about people have undertaken the training and their situation before and after their training course.
The meeting also agreed that we should ask for information on the expected outcome of the assistance from St James’, such as the number of persons who will be expected to complete the course each year and how the course would improve their lives. The funds we raise would be sent in tranches and we would expect progress reports from Fr Joe. We have a few photos but would ask for more.
OC said we also need more details on the music project which Fr Joe had suggested St James’ might support if we raised more funds than are needed for the technical education programme.
OC agreed to send Fr Joe an email asking for information on all these points.
Launch of the new project
OC said that he had spoken to Fr David about this and agreed the weekend of 16-17 September. Fr David is very keen to involve the Filipino community in the launch and, for example, the Philippines colours and a display in front of the altar with a Filipino theme might be displayed in the church. OC agreed to prepare the text of the talk which could be given at Masses that weekend. OC would also speak to Fr David about the time that should be allowed for the talk.
The first collection at Masses will be in November and the first fundraising event will be in February 2018. The Filipino community may be asked to contribute food for the event. MM will liaise with Michele Wilson to avoid a clash with the PTA. Other fundraising events could include sponsoring parishioners for runs, cycle rides and other events.
OC and NB will discuss separately a project structure linked to the parish Pillars and other parish groups. It was agreed that NB’s experience, working with an NGO in Uganda, could be a very useful resource and assist in decisions made.
7. Autumn Festival
In addition to running a Traidcraft stall, as described earlier, DB suggested a book sale would be relatively easy to organise. All it required was for books to be sorted into fiction, non-fiction and children’s categories, and there would be little need to have it supervised if a donations box was on hand. There should be information displayed about the parish project and to promote all other J&P activities backed up by relevant statistics where appropriate. It might be possible to introduce the subject of climate change, using the CAFOD material for its “Power To Be” campaign, as well as suggesting other ways in which parishioners could reflect on how they might reduce their carbon footprints. RW suggested that the LiveSimply award plaque should be displayed and a permanent location agreed with Fr David. All such displays would be located close to the Traidcraft stall.
8. Any other business
DB asked if RW had arranged a Mass for the International Day of Peace on 21 September. He would check to see if it had been booked. [Subsequently discovered that RW had booked it.]
NB explained that he was assisting CAFOD to run a Fast Day speaker training session in the St James’ Community Centre on Saturday 16 September. He asked if J&P members would be prepared to support with assistance such as registration, drinks and general setting up. Those present said they would if available on the day.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 9.20pm.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 7.45pm.