Walk for BCCS & CAFOD

St Helens to St George's Sponsored Walk for the BCCS and CAFOD 'Share the Journey'

For the past few years we have run a parish walk for the Brentwood Catholic Children's Society (BCCS) to raise funds to support their work and this year we are hosting this again but with a twist.

To find out more about the very important work that the BCCS provide to children and young adults within Essex and East London please visit their website at http://www.bccs.org.uk/

The walk itself is the fundraiser and a chance for our two parishes to join together along what is normally a pleasant seafront walk with Father Joseph until we finish with tea and biscuits and a chance to chat at the end.

This takes place on Saturday 2nd June.

The 'twist' this year is that CAFOD have a campaign called 'Share the Journey' where they are asking parishes and people to walk for the campaign, to record the miles walked collectively, and with the miles logged, sign a petition card that CAFOD can then take and present to our Prime Minister calling for agreements to be made at the United Nations for refugees and migration. For full details of the campaign visit cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Share-the-Journey for more information.

The details

Firstly, those that can will gather at the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians and Saint Helen in Milton Road Westcliff-on-Sea when Mass will be celebrated at 10am. After Mass we will gather in the car park by the church entrance and with Father Joseph we will make our way to the seafront visit the Cliffs leaving at around 10.45am.

We will then walk along the sea wall, past Southend pier, and continue until we reach Ness Road where we will leave the seafront and walk the short remaining distance until we reach the parish hall at the parish of Saint George and the English Martyrs in Shoeburyness There will be refreshements available in the hall (tea, biscuits etc). The walk is just under five and a half miles from start to finish and we normally start arriving in the hall after midday.

If you are thinking of walking with us then please contact us for a registration form and a sponsor form. Registration is free and any sponsorship you raise will go to the BCCS. Julie from the BCCS will be in the hall at the end of the walk to greet people and to give out certificates to walkers and if you wanted to pass money raise over that point then you are welcome to do so. Please dress appropriately for the walk and the weather conditions and please bring water for the journey.

The CAFOD cards will be handed out for walkers to sign in the hall at the end and will then be collected up and passed to CAFOD directly.

2018 An Update

2018 - What have we been up to from January to April?

We have been busy for the first half of the year so far with lots of work taking place within our parishes in a low key but essential way none the less. It is difficult to document everything, especially when you are in the thick the action but below is a taste of the main points of action.

It all began on January 1st with our 90th anniversary of existence working in Southend. We welcomed the New Year in with Mass at the parish of Saint Peter with our Chaplain Father Jeff, and then gathered for coffee and cake in the hall for a good catch up to discuss who had had the Australian flu that Christmas.

The following Saturday evening we officially celebrated our 90th with a small party with friends, widows and fellow Knights from across Essex and it was a chance to raise a glass to all those who we have followed and are no longer with us.

Towards the end of January, Southend 192 ran a Race Night for the whole of Province and the Knights around Essex to get together for a fun evening and to raise funds to support the training of seminarians in our Diocese. Apparently some of the horses are still running!

Provincial Race Night

February had us back at Sacred Heart cooking early morning breakfast for around 50 paying guests who had gathered to hear our Chairman and Grand Knight Liam give a talk about his work as a script writer, and the people and films he had worked upon. A fascinating insight in his great career and an inspiration to those looking to follow their dreams and aspirations. The profit for this morning effort went towards the Sacred Heart Maintenance fund as a new industrial boiler is not a cheap commodity these days.

Later that day we were involved in gathering a crowd after evening Mass at Holy Family Benfleet to give people a chance for parishioners to talk to each other after Mass, and #fairtrade refreshments were available with a great spread of food. The profit from that went to the parish working fund.

Coffee evening at Holy Family, Benfleet

The SPUC White Flower Appeal was then delivered the following weekend in the two parishes of Holy Family, Benfleet with Saint Thomas More, and Saint Peter in Eastwood with the appeal across all Masses that weekend with what is a very emotional concern.

March brought more snow so our Saint Patrick's Night social was postponed until early April to prevent any accidents but our rescheduled Irish Night social was a great success with Irish food, Irish dancers entertaining us, and a good sing song to boot. Our MP Sir David Amess came along and gave us a fantastic speech towards the end of the evening which made everyone feel valued.

In March, we also organised the Provincial Quiz which was hotly contested by different groups of Knights, a parish team, and teams of wives too. After evening Mass in Hutton, contestants sat down to homemade soup and roll, before battling it out to see who had the best collective minds with Chingford narrowly beating all to have the privilege of representing our Province at the Knights national quiz final in the Autumn.

We supported the work of SPUC in the parishes towards the end of April, and we also helped with the organising of the #RosaryontheCoast that took place by the Crowstone on Chalkwell beach. We had parishioners from across the deanery and beyond in attendance with five parish priests leading proceedings and we were on hand to marshall the day by handing out programmes, keeping the public promenade clear and to help those who were infirm to be a part of the afternoon. And we prayed.

So we have had a few things to do with lots more taking place in the coming months. Yes we are a workhorse in the parishes, but we do balance our collective efforts with time for God, with Mass, as well as logistical support with bodies on the ground to make an event happen and to fundraise.