Exciting new team of volunteers at St Cassian’s
The team at St Cassian’s wish you a very happy new term for 2023 to 2024 and we hope you all had a blessed summer.
We have exciting news of welcoming our new team of volunteers. From Mexico we have Eduardo, Bernardo, Marco and Valeria. From Argentina we have Marti and Mercedes. From Bolivia we have Nicole and Beti who is joining for her second year and also Mambwe from Swansea in Wales.
To start the new term, the team arrived over the weekend of Sunday August 20th. We welcomed them with a Fajita meal on their first evening and they had the opportunity to witness the sense of hope and hospitality that exists in the centre.
The team members are coming to the end their four weeks of training and Formation before beginning the 6th Form retreats next week. The team have learned lots new skills ranging from First Aid, Fire Marshal, Mental Health First Aid and Safeguarding to things like leading large group games, writing and leading prayers and presentations and how to lead walks and our outdoor activities.
The community had a meal at Pizza Express in Newbury and also spent time at the Swindon Retail outlet and have become good close friends already. They have also cooked community meals for everyone at the centre and also took part in some Pottery Painting at the Ugly Duckling Café in Newbury. There will be more exciting adventures and stories to follow in the coming weeks and months.
We also welcomed Brother Bernard into the team house on site with the rest of the members of the community. We said farewell to Isobelle Cording who is moving to Brentwood after six years at St. Cassian’s. We thank her for her passion, dedication, enthusiasm, joy and her generous heart and for the incredible contribution she has offered to St. Cassian’s which has left a big impact on the whole place.
We also said farewell to Janet, one of our Laundry House staff who is leaving after six years at this place. She has been a big part of the community with her infectious smile, her conversations, her joy and on behalf of the De La Salle community, we wish her all the best in her retirement.
We are delighted to welcome Igor as a new co-ordinator of our Retreat Team. He was a volunteer for nearly two years and transitioned to the role this summer.
We want to say a big thank you to the summer hospitality groups who stayed at St Cassian’s this summer. This included Saint Catherine’s Trust, CPW, Fanning the Flame and Hope and Home for your participation, enthusiasm and contributing to the joy and mission of St. Cassian’s in August. It was a pleasure to welcome you all to the centre.
