Look Outside Your Window Day – St Edward’s College

St Edward’s College staff spent their February INSET day away from school, volunteering at outreach and charitable organisations in order to put their faith into action. Here we share some of the places they visited and reflections from staff on the impact that day has had. A fantastic initiative.

Mr Ray went to the L15 Food Hub.

Food Hub provides incredibly good value food to any member of the public. For £3.50 they can buy ten supermarket items, generally saving over £10 on average. Unlike foodbank (which is run from the same church building at different times), anyone can join. This is possible due to community donations, special offers, supermarkets donating food that is near best before dates, and buying in bulk.

While people wait their turn to shop, free tea, coffee, toast, and pastries (thanks to the generosity of Gregg’s!) are available. For people on a tight budget who cannot afford to go out for a coffee, it’s a moment of positivity each week.

What was the last thing you spent £3.50 on?

We Pray: God Our Provider; bring comfort and practical relief to those who are worried today about how they will afford food this week.

Miss Digney and Miss Higham went to HMP Altcourse

Spending a Sunday at Altcourse prison was a day filled with mixed emotions: It was great to help and participate in the celebration of the word and eucharist, and insightful to shadow the work of the Chaplain Manager – watching inductions, setting up for a service, greeting prisoners, chatting about what they were looking forward to on their release, seeing the Birds of Prey sanctuary, and having a tour of a unit and cell. There was a lot of brokenness which made me feel very sad, but also a lot of hope to be found there, which was heart-warming.

We are all called to be in communion with one another: to love, to forgive, to help each other heal – to show compassion, empathy and understanding – even with those with whom we find it a challenge.

We pray: Lord, we pray for the work of the chaplaincy at Altcourse, that they can meet people where they are at and help, through faith and work, to restore people in your image. We also pray for the victims of crime – may they find healing through forgiveness. Bind all in your love. Amen

Mrs Wilson and Miss McCann visited L7: Catholic Action, St Hugh’s Mission

We both visited the St Hugh’s Monday Breakfast meet in L7. This is a community group run by Catholic Action which supports the local area of L7 with food and family basics. Due to the large Roma population in this area (the attached primary school has a student body that is over 70% Roma) this group is generally attended by Roma women who use the base for life basics and practical support – the sisters register births, help with housing, and support the women with a range of family needs. When we attended the group, we supported with the baby clothes and food bank which is a lifeline for many women in the community. Attending the group was both a life-affirming and a humbling experience. To see the dedication of the group of women running this organisation and the support they were offering some of the most vulnerable women in our city was inspiring. Hearing stories if the daily struggles, barriers, and discrimination these women face was a real eye opener for us both and has pushed us to want to help these women further if we can.

We pray: O woman, you who are the Model of women, keep all women close to your Immaculate Heart and present them to the Most Sacred Heart of your Divine Son Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit is always Our Hope and the source of our strength forever.

Mr Pickavance and Mr Sharp went to Hope Café.

We were a little nervous initially, not really knowing how we’d fit in, but the team were very welcoming to us and allowed us to help with preparation by doing little practical things, like going to buy some milk for the coffee.

We got the chance to circulate and chat with some of the asylum seekers and refugees there. This is Hesham from Egypt, a refugee who fled to the country two years ago, leaving behind a 23-year career as an accountant in Saudi Arabia.

Hesham faced difficulties in finding work due to not being able to drive, despite his extensive professional experience.

• Determination: Despite setbacks, Hesham was determined to rebuild his life and enrolled in English language classes at the local college.
• Struggles: Hesham confided in his difficulties with certain aspects of the English language coursework, but also in struggling to past the ‘theory’ part of his driving test (he really needs to drive in order to work).
• Assistance: Moved by his resilience, Mr Sharp went into town to purchase a book to assist Hesham with his theory, hoping to alleviate some of his difficulties.
• Gratitude: Hesham expressed deep gratitude for the gesture, reflecting the hospitality ingrained in his culture.

In the bustling café, surrounded by refugees and asylum seekers, workers, and their children, we witnessed the power of compassion and solidarity in fostering hope and sharing Christian love.

We reflect: Matthew 25: 31-40. “I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”