Charity Officer

catenian association charity officer

In the image, Premiership referee Chris Foy accepts a cheque for £1300 on behalf of St Helens Home Start from then Brother President John Williams. The funds were raised During John Murray’s Presidential Year.

Brother John Murray writes of his work as Charity Officer and The Wider Circle contributions

The Catenian Association is primarily a social organisation, but over the years charitable giving has played an increasing role in the activities of Circles.

The Association has its own two charities which are completely separate from the ‘President’s Charity’.

The two Catenian charities are, The Benevolent Fund, and the Bursary Fund. The former exists to help Brothers or their families in times of family crisis. Each Circle has a Benevolent Board that considers cases of hardship as they arise and makes recommendations for assistance from the nationally held fund as appropriate.

The Bursary Fund (St Helens Circle Article) exists to fund Catholics, typically in gap years, undertaking projects to support needy folk in various parts of the world. Young people are encouraged to apply for assistance, often via the parish noticeboard, and presentations of grants are increasingly made at Sunday Mass in their own parishes. Applicants apply for a grant on line and all the details can be found on the national Catenian website OR you can just click…..

Click Here For Bursary Fund Page

Currently the Benevolent Fund is in a very healthy state, but increasing demands in recent years have left the Bursary Fund in need of contributions. Brothers are encouraged to support this charity, if possible with gift aided contributions. The Fund is also registered on the ‘Just Giving’ website to enable donations from outside the Association. The web site is http://www.justgiving.com/CABF

Apart from these two worthy causes, in recent years it has become the norm for the Circle President to choose a charity to support during his year in office. During the course of the year the proceeds from a fixed number of raffles goes to this charity, notably from the Ladies Night which is the Circle’s premier social event.

Over the last several Years Presidents have nominated many different Charities such as Apostleship of the Sea, The Jumbulance/Across, Wheelchairs to Africa, St Helens Lansbury Bridge School and Sports College, for Children/Young adults with complex needs, McMillan Nurses, State of Mind, Bursary Fund, Priest Training Fund and many others.  Each year these Charities often received in excess of £1000.

In addition to all that stated above the circle through various events and individual contributions, cash or practical help, support many local charities and Organisations.

As was said in the first paragraph, we are not primarily a money raising organisation. Nevertheless, it gives us great satisfaction to raise money for worthy causes while enjoying ourselves!

John Murray

Charity Officer

St. Helens 21