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Planning is well underway for the SVP’s St Patrick’s Day Bingo Evening, to be held in the church hall on Saturday, March 19. We will open the doors at 6.15 pm, with eyes down at 7 pm.

Bingo will be the centre of attention, but we will have light snacks on the table, an SVP raffle with some great prizes, and the bar will be open with beer, wine, soft drinks and, of course, Guinness and Irish coffee. While this will raise some funds for the SVP, the main aim is to welcome everyone back to socialising in the parish.

As St Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, we are well underway with the preparations to celebrate with a bingo evening on Saturday, March 19. Why not get your friends and family together for what should be a fun evening. You may even win!

The SVP shop will be open this weekend after all masses on Saturday evening and Sunday. We have stocked up, not only for St Patrick’s Day (March 17), but also for St Joseph’s Day (March 19), Mothers Day (March 27) and Easter (April 17). Please stop by for a browse and a chat.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a call from the president of the SVP conference at The Most Sacred Heart in Ruislip, Sue Jeffrey. We met for coffee with open minds and loads of ideas. Sacred Heart really wanted to help with our activities where they could. Their first thought was the food bank. Sue spent a day there and had a speedy introduction to what we do. She went away with many ideas of where they could help and soon put her first thought into action. Sacred Heart has had an appeal for cleaning products and we will be receiving their donation in the next few days to distribute at the food bank. I hope and believe this will be a great partnership where, working together within the SVP framework, we will be able to achieve great things. The SVP at St Gregory’s and Sacred Heart will continue to be separate conferences and come together where an opportunity is seen.

When refugees are on the move, their most precious item is often their smartphone. These devices are wrapped in several layers of bin liners and tape and kept closer than any other possession, including food and clothes. They are a lifeline to families back home, via apps such as WhatsApp and FaceTime. The phones also give refugees access to vital news as they pass through dangerous and war-torn countries. These devices often get seized or destroyed en-route, adding to the distress of people already fleeing for their lives.

During the first lockdown, the SVP started sending DVDs and CDs of Masses held at our Parish. These were sent to many parishioners who, due to shielding or lack of Internet access, were unable to participate in our services. We are continuing to do this and currently send DVDs to parishioners and two care homes in the area: Brackenbridge House and Whitby Dene. Care homes are still restricting visitors, so this is our way of letting them know that we at St Gregory’s have not forgotten about them.