"Love and charity, are service, helping others, serving others. There are many people who spend their lives in this way, in the service of others. … When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love! And with the washing of the feet the Lord teaches us to be servants, and above all, servants as He was a servant to us, for every one of us." Pope Francis
Our parish outreach includes: London & Slough Run, Slough Homeless - Our Concern, St Vincent de Paul, CAFOD, Fairtrade, Catholic Women's League, and APF Mill Hill Mission.
LONDON RUN
The London Run helps the homeless and people in need.
For over 30 years the parish of St Joseph’s has joined with other Christian Churches and faith groups in the area to provide food, drink and other sustenance as well as bedding and clothing to the homeless and people in need on the streets of London and Slough.
Each Monday many of our supporters bring wrapped sandwiches, fruit, crisps, cakes and soft drinks to the Priory, where they are sorted and packed by a team (The Packers). These items are then loaded into the London Run van for a team of volunteers (The Runners) to take to the West End and Slough for distribution. The Runners leave about 8pm every Monday and return about midnight.
We have rotas for The Packers, The Teamakers and The Runners. If you would like to join the Packers, please come along to the Parish Centre any Monday from midday.
If you would like to join us then please contact us at admin@thelondonandsloughrun.org
SHOC 
The aim of SHOC, Slough Homeless – Our Concern, is to enable homeless people to get health support, accommodation and jobs, with the long term aim of ending homelessness in Slough. SHOC provides day centre services, including hot meals, showers, clothes and personal advice and support.
SHOC is very grateful for the support that it has received from St Joseph’s Parish over the years. It continues to rely on the help of volunteers. Teams from local churches and other organisations prepare and serve lunches at the day centre and other volunteers help with fundraising. If any parishioners from St Joseph’s would like to contribute in this way, please contact Ray Waite on 01753 891442 or raybwaite@aol.com.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY (SVP)
The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international lay Christianvoluntary organisation actively working in over 130 countries with the poor, disadvantaged and marginalised. The aim is to tackle poverty in all its forms through the provision of practical assistance to those in need by offering friendship and practical help without regard to faith, ethnicity, status or sexual orientation.
Here in St Joseph’s we provide support to a number of individuals and family groups suffering from loneliness, mobility issues and poverty. This takes the form of social visits to the elderly and housebound, practical support (such as food, clothing and furniture) and the provision of transport to Mass, other parish events, shopping, medical appointments, etc. If you, or someone you know, is in need, please get in contact with us, on a totally confidential basis, on 07942 270969.
To enable us to continue this work which provides such valuable assistance, please consider making a donation via this link. Alternatively, donations can be made directly to our bank account Name: E140395 St. Joseph Sort: 60-60-04. Account No: 46078843. Your support is very much appreciated.
We are always looking for new members to join us. You do not need any specific qualifications or experience - just a desire to provide a little support to fellow parishioners in a less fortunate position. The frequency and amount of the time you give is completely up to you.
You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That's how prayer works. Pope Francis
CAFOD
CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and is the official aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales, guided by the values of compassion, solidarity and hope. Together, with the help of our volunteers, we put our faith into action to help our sisters and brothers living in extreme poverty to reach their full potential, regardless of religion or culture.
We believe that everyone in the world has the right to live their lives with dignity. That’s why we work through the local Catholic Church and other partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to fight poverty and injustice, wherever the need is greatest.
CAFOD is a member of Caritas International – a group of over 160 Catholic agencies from around the world – known as ‘the helping hand of the Church’. Because we work through the local partners we can reach people and places that others can’t.
How can you help?
On the Sunday prior to Lent and Harvest Family Fast Day talks, you can help hand out Fast Day envelopes at Mass. For those with public speaking skills, give a 5 minute talk at a Mass. Help is also welcome at the two Friday Fast Day Soup Lunches held at St Joseph’s.
You could further help by:
- Organising a petition signing, postcard action, or another campaign event after Masses.
- Working with other groups, such as the Justice and Peace group to encourage others to act.
- Sharing the news about what campaigning is doing with others in your community.
- Become an MP correspondent and write to your local MP about current campaign issues.
There's a way you can use the time you have to help us make a difference, whether it's a few free minutes in the day, days in the week, weeks in the year, or more! Many of the opportunities above can be tailored to fit into your schedule.
Whether you donate, campaign, download prayers or volunteer in the parish you are saving lives and helping some of the world’s poorest people.
For further information visit www.cafod.org.uk or email gnolan@cafod.org.uk
When you volunteer for CAFOD, you have the chance to enable our parish community to take action for global justice and put the Gospel into practice.
CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE (CWL)
The Gerrards Cross Section of the Catholic Women's League was founded in 1958. The League is a national organisation with members in England and Wales. We are affiliated to other CWL Branches in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. We are also members or the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), which is concerned with the rights of women and children throughout the world.
As CWL members were involved in the first Family Fast Day collections, we support CAFOD as its natural successor. The League has a strong spiritual base with retreats and days of recollection. We support our own CWL charities - Relief and Refugee, Our Ladies Catechists and the Services Committee.
We were involved in the beginning of the London Run for the Homeless through our connections with Burnham Section and we continue to raise funds for them each Christmas. We support local charities such as Thames Hospicecare and we lay a wreath on Chalfont St Peter's war memorial each Remembrance Sunday.
We welcome women of all ages as members. Our motto is Charity, Work and Loyalty. We work, but we also enjoy social events in a friendly atmosphere.
APF MILL HILL MISSION
Missio is the Pope’s official charity for Overseas Missions and is part of the Worldwide network of Pontifical Mission Societies. It comprises the Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF), The Society of St Peter the Apostle (SPA), Mission Together (Holy Childhood) and the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU). Registered Charity No 1056651. The Mill Hill Missionaries (Society of St Joseph) founded by Cardinal Vaughan, was the first English Catholic religious missionary order. Today they are an international fellowship of Catholic missionaries dedicated to announcing the Good News of Jesus Christ to people throughout the world. The Mill Hill Missionaries are currently working in 19 Countries Worldwide. (Registered Charity No 220690).
Since 1937 the APF and the Mill Hill Missionaries have been raising money together in parishes through the Red Box Scheme.
Parish Contact : Peter Freeman on redbox.stjosephs@gmail.com or via the Parish Office.