Social evening to celebrate partnership

Around 60 volunteers and staff from SVP and BCM gathered at the Belfast Central Mission headquarters in Glengall Street for a social evening to celebrate our 25 years of partnership on 23rd September 2004.

Selection of guests enjoying social evening	Rita Mannion (SVP Reg Board) & Larry McArdle (SVP Reg Pres) in joyful mood with Rev Ker
Rev Donald Ker (BCM), Aileen Coney and Larry McArdle (SVP)	BCM Staff members Lorna Henry, Nicky Conway and Elaine McWilliams
SVP members John Cassidy, Tony McAllister, Ray Brady and Eugene Magill	Rev Donald Ker, Rev David Ker and Rev Dr Norman Taggart (BCM)
BCM was founded as part of the Methodist church's response to the problems of inner-city life and continues to meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of all of those who may need it. "This liaison between two charities demonstrates the value of cross-community co-operation in helping the disadvantaged," said Rev Donald Kerr, the current superintendent of the mission.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Belfast Central Mission have been serving the community for over 150 years. Our recent partnership began when we bonded in a common purpose at the height of the troubles in Belfast.

The occasion was the visit to Ireland in 1979 of Pope John Paul 11, when the Society was understandably short of collectors for our annual street collection. The then administrator Colm McNicholl, approached Sr Mary Gihon, a Mission Sister of BCM and as a result Rev Dr Norman Taggart agreed to supply us with much needed collectors.

"The outcome not only protected that year's income to the needy of Belfast but led to a close co-operation between ourselves and BCM for the next quarter of a century," said Larry McArdle, SVP Regional President.

One outcome is the now annual joint event of the Giving Tree, which has generated tens of thousands of toys for children across the community, irrespective of affiliation, for whom Christmas would otherwise have been a barren time.