The last CAFOD Portsmouth Blog

Posted on December 21, 2021 by cafodportsmouth

For the past 12 years we have shared news, updates and stories on this blog. Many supporters, volunteers, schools, parishes and other groups have been featured and have inspired others to support of their own. One of our first blogs in 2009 featured Fr Tom Grufferty and parishioners from St Joseph Havant and SS Thomas Emsworth fundraising for CAFOD.

But the world of the internet and social media is a fast-changing environment and many good things must come to an end. We have concluded that it’s better to feature our thanks, celebrations, requests and stories in other places and to close down this blog. We still have plenty to share and will do so, most notably on our local page of the main website CAFOD in your area | CAFOD CAFOD Portsmouth Facebook page , our Twitter stream @CAFODportsmouth , CAFOD’s main events page and the CAFOD’s national blog. If you haven’t followed or liked us on those places, please do. You may also want to sign up for our e-news, sent out centrally once a month with lots of interesting info and updates. You can do so on this page.

Thank you to all who have featured in these articles and to all who have helped us bring these stories together and present them on the blog. Many thanks to our regular writers and contributors especially :- Maureen Thompson, Patrick and Isobel Flynn, Laura Bigoni, and Mel and Jack Noronha.

Please do keep in touch with us. Let us know what’s happening in your parishes and schools and how amazing people are supporting CAFOD and we’ll share those stories on Portsmouth Diocesan e-news ( register on website for weekly e-news ) and CAFOD Portsmouth face book . The blog will go offline around Christmas so please do keep us with us elsewhere. And thanks once again for your support.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas and joy filled New Year.

Posted on December 21, 2021 by cafodportsmouth

Amina and her baby in a refugee camp in Kenya.

Thank you for all your care and support this year for CAFOD and for the communities that we work with. I hope you and your family have a truly blessed Christmas and a joy filled New Year. Best wishes Jo

Please note that CAFOD offices are closed from 23rd December until 3rd January .

Highlights of 2021

Posted on December 20, 2021 by cafodportsmouth

My first highlight of this year has been Walk for Water challenge walking 10,000 steps every day for the 40 days of Lent. I was bowled over by the response to this challenge as so many people took part including confirmation groups, families, parishioners, priests, and deacons and over £30,000 was raised in Portsmouth diocese. Thank you so much to everyone who took part and to all those who donated.

Second highlight was the fantastic efforts of our parish and campaign volunteers who arranged meetings with their MPs as part of our Parliament in your Parish campaign. There were 12 meetings in all from May to November covering these constituencies: – Basingstoke, Bracknell, Fareham, Maidenhead, Meon Valley, New Forest East, New Forest West, North East Hampshire, North West Hampshire, Reading East, Winchester & Chandler’s Ford and Wokingham. Many more than I expected! Many thanks to everyone who organised one of these meetings and to all those who attended. In England and Wales 112 MPs heard our concerns about the climate crisis – just amazing!

Third was COP26 in November although the outcomes were disappointing it was great to see so many people participating in the day of action on 6^th November from Guernsey to Reading to London to Glasgow. Emma Parlane our Step into the Gap volunteer based at St Cassians Kintbury joined CAFOD’s Young Adult delegation and travelled to Glasgow to participate in COP26 .You can read about her experience here.

Finally I had the privilege to present papal blessings to The St Edward the Confessor CAFOD Group in Chandlers Ford who have been fundraising for CAFOD for over 30 years and to Sue Cooper who has volunteered for CAFOD in a variety of roles for over 40 years. How amazing and thank you so much!