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St. Thomas à Becket Foundation |
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making a
difference |
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Office : Holy Family Church, 226
Trelawney Avenue, Langley, Slough, Berkshire.
SL3 7UD |
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We’ve asked everyone to send us in a
little bit of information
about themselves and as it arrives it will be published
below. |
President
Bishop Peter Doyle
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| Patrons |
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His Eminence
The
Cardinal Archbishop of
Westminster
Most Rev Cormac Murphy-O'Connor |
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The Rt. Hon. Lord St.John
Fawsley |
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The Lady Scott of Foscote |
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Dr. Phyllis Starkey M.P. |
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Very Rev. Kevin O’Driscoll (Slough)
In
1982 I went to Southwark Cathedral to hear Pope John
Paul II address people who were sick or disabled.
His sermon made a deep impression on me. He warned
our society not to push those with disabilities to
the margins. He said that this would be both unjust
and damaging.
I feel that in a very modest way the St. Thomas a
Becket Foundation can help those with disabilities
to be included in the life of our parishes and of
our schools. I am delighted to work with people who
share the same vision. |
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Mrs. Bernadette
Ballantyne (Luton) |
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Mr.Sean Ballantyne
(Luton) |
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Just a few short lines
about our family and our connection to the society. Bernie
and I live in the Sacred Heart Parish in Stopsley ,Luton. We
have two sons, Liam who is fourteen and Patrick who is
eleven.
Our son Liam is Autistic. He has severe learning difficulties
and a medical condition which has seen him spend some
time in Guys Hospital. He is now on medication to control
his illness.
We first met Fr. Kevin about ten years ago at a time when
taking Liam to mass was hard work.We were introduced to the
monthly Special Needs Mass, a place we felt very comfortable
to take Liam.
Liam has made his First Communion and Confirmation through
the group.
Fr. Kevin approached us about four years ago to join the
Society as trustees. I suppose our experience as parents of
Liam is where we can help most. |
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Our main aims for the Society are to see people with
disabilities welcomed, recognised and helped within their
Parishes. |
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Rev Dr Mary Cotes
Ecumenical Moderator Milton Keynes)
I
am
the Ecumenical Moderator of the Milton
Keynes Churches’ Council.
As an ordained
Baptist minister, I have been working in
Milton Keynes now for some 5 years and am
very keen to encourage initiatives across
all the Milton Keynes Churches which support
people with disabilities. |
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Mrs. Jean Brookman (Milton Keynes)
I am married to Brian, and have two
children. Sian is married and lives in
Reading. Simon is single and lives in Spain
I am a member of Our Lady of Lourdes, Coffee
Hall, Milton Keynes. I am a Eucharistic
Minister, and a member of the Chaplaincy
team at Milton Keynes Hospital. I also
visit the elderly in their homes..
I have been a Trustee since the beginning
of the Foundation, being appointed by the
Bishop to be his representative. |
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Ms Georgie Devine (Farnham
Royal)
I’m 34 and was diagnosed with cerebral
palsy at nine months. I live with carers at my bungalow
in Farnham Royal and I’m a full-time ICT student at the
East Berks College in Langley. I am full of praise for
the work done on my behalf by Sister Marie Power, our
former Pastoral Worker, and the Thomas a Becket
Foundation.
The World Youth Day trip in 2005 was an experience I'll
never forget. We were caught up in the BA disruption.
Finally we got away, but our luggage didn't arrive in
Cologne. But we got through it all and came out smiling. |
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Ms
Charmaine Daoud
(Milton Keynes)
(awaiting photograph) |
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My name is Charmaine
Daoud and I have recently been appointed as
a Trustee. In fact you may recall the
evening I became a Trustee because it was
the same night as the welcome meal for
Angela Davies.
I am 28 years old and
live in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes with my
Mum, Jane. We are parishioners at All Saints
Church in Bletchley which has some pretty
famous members of the congregation including
Maureen and Ted Grant. If you have never
been to All Saints then you should come
along because we have one of the best choirs
in the whole diocese who are helped by such
people as Angela White and Anita O’Brien.
I have been a wheelchair
user effectively since 14 July 2001 when my
family and I were involved in a tragic car
accident that took the lives of Anthony, my
father and Sarah-Jane my older sister and
left me with severe spinal injuries.
As you will gather I have
a tough life. I face difficult challenges
every day that I was not aware of prior to
the accident. I need 24 hour care from a
team of support workers to help me with all
my needs.
However I try and live a
full life which includes going on holiday. A
few years ago I was fortunate enough to
travel to Cologne for the World Youth Day.
This was the first major event that Pope
Benedict XVI attended. It was a great
occasion from which I have gained a number
of good friends.
I was honoured to be
asked by Canon Kevin O’Driscoll to become a
Trustee and am looking forward to developing
this role. |
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Rev. Paul Hardy
(Milton Keynes) |
Mr.Peter
Skingley
(Milton Keynes) |
Mrs. Mary Grant
(Milton Keynes) |
Cllr Don Hoyle
(Milton Keynes Council) |
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photograph and write up :
Mr Patrick Smyth
(Northampton) |
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Mrs.
Anne Too-Chung (Leighton Buzzard)
I have been involved with the foundation
almost since its inception. I just felt it
was a very worthwhile and necessary cause
to work with. I first started helping Fr
Kevin with paperwork and then did various
things over the years. I am now a member of
the Pastoral Support Group.
I was a nurse by profession but am now
retired. |
Mr.Raymond Hevey (Milton
Keynes)
I trained as a ‘mental’ nurse in
Ireland and after four years I
left for England in 1954 to
train in ‘general’ nursing.
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After finishing my training I took up a
number of posts in London hospitals working
with people with mental health problems.
In 1962 I felt that working in the community
might help reduce the number of patients
being admitted into hospitals with mental
issues.
I worked in the Mental Welfare Office with
the London Council for a number of years and
I finally retired in 1989 from the Health
Department of the London Borough of Camden.
In 1989 I moved from Camden to Bletchley and
worked part-time in hospital social work
until 1995. With my experience in mental
health I decided to support the St Thomas a
Becket Foundation. |
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Mr. Martin Redmond (Bedford)
(awaiting
photograph) |
My
involvement with the St. Thomas a
Becket Foundation began when the
Diocesan Pastoral Service for the
Deaf and Hearing Impaired, of which
I am Co-ordinator, was in the
process of recruiting a new Pastoral
Worker .This coincided with a
similar initiative by the
Foundation and very quickly the
merits in working together became an
imperative supported by the Diocese.
The
world of the Christian deaf has
changed dramatically over recent
years and progress in our community
and technology have broken down many
of the barriers which previously
isolated these individuals. Those
with profound hearing difficulties
have never regarded themselves as
disabled and our challenge is
to allow all those with any form of
physical or mental disadvantage to
regard themselves as equals. Our
Service is happy to work alongside
the Foundation in supporting the
pastoral needs of our parishioners
and enable them to access the Word
of God.
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Mr. Brian
Brookman (Milton Keynes)
Finance and Administration Group
My
name is Brian Brookman. I am better known
as Jean's husband.
I am a retired Chartered Surveyor, having
worked for Milton Keynes Development
Corporation for 23 years. In my retirement I
have a number of interests.
I have an allotment. I am involved with the
refurbishment of the City Gardens ( behind
the City Centre Church ). I am a Magistrate.
I have been involved with the St Thomas a
Becket Foundation since the first meeting.
Recently Fr Kevin asked me to lead the
Finance and Administration Group of the
Foundation. |
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Mr. Brin Dunsire (High Wycombe) Advisor on Fund Raising |
| I started work for the Diocese in 1996 as a
part-time Communications Assistant in the Youth
Service. Three years later I went full-time with
the role of Planned Giving Officer, making
appeals in churches, while continuing with the
youth admin-support role. |
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When the Youth Office expanded
its staff in 2002-03, my job was
redefined to include a role as
Funding Adviser, helping NYMO,
parishes, and schools with advice
about accessing external funding
from trusts and grantmaking bodies.
In this capacity I was given
approval to assist the Becket
Foundation as a kind of consultant,
since although it is a separate
charity from the Diocese, it is
carrying out excellent work on
behalf of the Diocese. Of course,
the Foundation has always been doing
its own fundraising with great
success, through parish appeals ,
Golf Days etc, but we do also need
to seek major grants from external
trusts towards the salaries of our
two wonderful Pastoral Workers. I am
therefore delighted to be working
with Canon Kevin. Brian Brookman and
the Trustees to this end. |
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Mrs.Bridget Farrell
(Milton Keynes) |
Mrs.Vivienne Smith
(Milton Keynes) |
Mrs.Pat
Patridge
(Milton Keynes) |
Mr.
Michael Smith
(Milton Keynes) |
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photographs and write-ups:
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Mrs. Margaret Fielding (High
Wycombe) |
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Mrs. Patricia Russell
(Luton) |
Mrs. Margaret McShane
(Milton Keynes) |
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