THE ST. JAMES’S CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL MEETS EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING IN THE CRYPT BETWEEN 6.30 P.M. AND 7.00 P.M.
WE DO NOT HAVE FORMAL MEETINGS. WHENEVER WE GATHER IT IS TO DO GOOD WORKS OR TO ORGANISE FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES.
St Vincent de Paul Society
(England & Wales)
Casino Royale Souper Ball 2008 at The Lansdowne Club, 2008
Many thanks for your generosity at this year’s Souper ‘Casino Royale’ Ball which we anticipate (once all the money is in) to have raised an impressive £10,000. Your contribution to the success of this event is sincerely appreciated and the funds will go to the St Vincent de Paul Marylebone conference to help support the homeless as well as an orphanage in Uganda.
James Bonds and Bond girls came out in full force for the eleventh Souper Ball on a mission to raise money for the SVP at St James’s Spanish Place. The Ballroom at the Lansdowne Club, Mayfair was transformed into Casino Royale for the evening which began with a drinks reception to the tunes of Elly Harrison and Bridget Cunningham on the violin and piano who serenaded the secret agents. Guests then took their seats for dinner at tables which had been brilliantly themed to match Bond movies over the past four decades adorned for their eyes only.
Nobody did it better than the Lansdowne kitchen who produced a stunning three course meal and made the 007’s feel welcome. After dinner Bill Metcalf in charge of the SVP St James’s soup run, gave a speech and introduced the auctioneer, Freya Mitton. Freya wonderfully masterminded the bidding for the auction prizes which raised almost £4,000. The ensuing raffle offered prizes, to which you could never say never again, including luxury gifts from Aveda, Fortnum & Mason & Chanel and many more raising £1,500 for the SVP.
William Bartholomew organised the DJ for the evening and got the ball rolling with familiar dance floor fillers, which certainly attracted the suave Bonds and their accomplices. A prize for the Best Dressed Bond and Best Dressed Bond Girl went to Adrian Gannon, whose bond props stole the show and Nazaret Jareno who came as Domino in a black and white polka dot dress.
The Souper Ball Committee would like to thank once again everyone for coming to support the event and all who provided such generous auction and raffle prizes and the Lansdowne for being so obliging on the evening.
Turning Concern into Action
Registered Office 5th Floor
291-299 Borough High Street
London SE1 1JG
Tel: 0207 407 4644
Fax: 0207 407 4634
E-mail enquiries@svp.org.uk Web www.svp.org.uk
A Company Limited by Guarantee - Registered in England & Wales No. 3174679 - Charity Registration No. 1053992
ACTIVITIES
We run weekly “soup kitchens” for the poor and homeless in the streets of London and also help individuals and provide support for hostels and homes for the homeless. Recently we bought a special exercise machine for a lady with multiple sclerosis, we paid for a courier licence for a young man off the street, driving lessons for another and support for others about to start work after recovering from being on the streets.
We have supported The Passage at Westminster, the Lord Clyde Rough Sleepers Unit (south of Vauxhall Bridge), the New to London Hostel in Old Marylebone Road and the NOAH Enterprise in Luton – all providing food, shelter and support for the homeless. We fitted the Lord Clyde with curtains and shelves and carried out general and plumbing repairs, and we have provided a joiner/handyman to carry out repairs to windows etc and to decorate the New to London Hostel.
We recently sent a small container of clothes, prams, cots and toys for homeless and poor who survived the troubles in Sierra Leone. This was successful as the sister of one of our members was in Sierra Leone to receive and distribute the goods, to avoid theft. We hope to repeat this operation and also to send a minibus full of goods.
FUND RAISING
We are continually working to raise funds to help the homeless, the sick, the poor, the friendless, the underprivileged, prisoners and ex-prisoners. We receive donations from people but we raise about £7,000 by holding a “Souper” Ball each year at the Lansdowne Club and another £3,000 by having a sponsored bike ride from London to St. Albans or to Windsor and back.
We do not have overheads so all the money goes to the poor and needy. It pays for new socks and underclothes, sweaters, jeans, coats etc., hot drinks and food for our twice weekly “soup run”. We give money to tide over individuals during the poverty trap period when they are about to take up work. The poverty trap period arises when someone is taken off the street and has been looked after and prepared for work and independence - the moment he/she gets a job all allowances and support disappear until he/she starts earning. This is when help is most needed.
WHATEVER WE DO IS GREAT FUN AND ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN. JUST TURN UP AT THE CRYPT ON A TUESDAY OR FRIDAY EVENING.