A Word from the Governor

I became a Governor of St Ambrose College, (my old school!) after retiring as a GP in June
2020.My awareness of, and initial contact with, SERV came during the virtual Edmund Rice
induction day for new Governors in November 2020. Part of that day was a ‘Brother Ger
talk’ which he gave from St Sebastian’s in Salford. Despite a few technical issues which did
their best to hamper communication, what could not be lost in communication was the
passion for the work of SERV that Brother Ger showed. I was so intrigued by his stories that
afterwards I contacted him and the rest, as they say, is history. I now help out every
Monday in the drop-in session at SERV, along with Brothers Ger Jim and Tony, May and
Alaidin. We are there to try to help the refugees with whatever is needed, be it sorting out
electricity bills, issues around benefits, housing issues, travel documents etc but perhaps
most important of all, to listen to their stories and provide an environment where, as
refugees, they feel both welcomed and valued.

It has, and continues to be, a very humbling experience. Nasir was the first refugee I came
across while sitting with Brother Jim who was dealing with Nasir’s application for permanent
refugee status. After, I had a chance to hear Nasir’s story. In many ways his story was
familiar – people trafficking, a perilous boat journey in a dinghy in the Mediterranean and
stowing away in a lorry from Calais to Dover. It’s a story that in its familiarity we have
become desensitised to but to hear it first hand in broken English but with emotion that
needed no translation was something I will never forget. What struck me most powerfully
was despite all that had happened, he was incredibly grateful for the acts of kindness he had
been shown, especially in the Calais refugee camp.

The other reason it is a continuing humbling experience is being with Brothers Ger, Jim and
Tony. The Edmund Rice charism tells us that ‘Edmund Rice opened his heart to Christ
present and appealing to him in the poor’. It is clear that they have lived that charism and
have walked the walk with many years between them spent in Sierra Leone, Liberia, South
America and now Salford. Hopefully when Covid settles, the pupils of St Ambrose College
can once again become involved in the work at SERV and Ger, Jim and Tony in particular, so
that the Edmund Rice Charism becomes part of their lives, whatever career they pursue and
in doing so they becomes the next generation of Christian Brothers in plain sight.

Richard Simpson is a retired GP, Governor at St Ambrose College and a volunteer at SERV.