The St Vincent de Paul Society (the SVP) is a lay organisation formed of “Conferences”  – small groups of 8 – 10 people working together, in a  parish or school, for the relief of need.

For some clients, we help them to find their way around the benefits system or to deal with housing problems. For others, we provide furniture, clothing, food vouchers or household goods.  The concept of need is broader than financial hardship and often it is friendship and support, not money, that is really wanted.  Visits to the sick, the lonely and the housebound form a large proportion of the SVP’s work and typically we will visit such clients on a weekly basis, sometimes just to chat.  We accompany people to hospital appointments or undertake shopping for them, we have a minibus which brings elderly and disabled people to Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Sundays and we provide holidays for those who need but cannot afford them.  The Cathedral SVP group meets weekly on Tuesday evenings and we always welcome potential new members.  If you would be interested in joining us or just in finding our more about what we do, contact us at svpcathedral@rcdow.org.uk