St Vincent's Support Centre Newsletter Summer 2015 | Page 4

Notice board
Can you give local
families in poverty
a happy Christmas?
Hold a coffee morning, cake sale or
craft fair in your school, workplace
or place of worship and give the
gift of hope this year. Christmas is
always the busiest time of year for
St Vincent’s. We put on Christmas
day activities for isolated and
vulnerable people and give gifts
and festive treats to children who
would otherwise receive nothing.
The need for these services is
always growing.

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Extra Special
Spring Ball
St Vincent’s volunteer Andrew Middleton made this year’s
Spring Ball extra special, donating a handmade mirror
and cabinet to raise funds in the auction.
Andrew has a lifelong interest in woodwork, with the support
he received from St Vincent’s he has gained the confidence
to start his own business using wood salvaged from skips to
create bespoke furniture. Andrew told us:
“St Vincent’s has given me a second chance. When I walked
into here over 3 years ago, I was fit for nothing. Slowly,
through being part of St Vincent’s, all that has kind of melted
away. I feel right now that this is a journey starting again.”
For Andrew, the creative process has been therapeutic
“All the wood I use is pulled out of skips; it was just going
to be discarded. It hurts me to see wood going in to a skip
or being burned as firewood. People can’t appreciate the
beauty of that tree anymore, it’s gone, but hopefully they can
appreciate the beauty of what it’s been made into. It’s a little
like how I feel – it saved my life coming to St Vincent’s and
not only that but now I feel enthusiasm again.”

“St Vincent’s
has given
me a second
chance.”
Page4 St Vincent’s Newsletter Summer 2015

Andrew explained why he wanted help the Centre’s
fundraising: “I keep thinking, how many more people are
there out there like me who have lost themselves and need to
find help, but don’t know where to turn?”
Charlotte Walton, St Vincent’s manager, added: “We were
so touched that Andrew donated his beautiful furniture. I am
delighted to say that the night raised a record £6000 help
people like Andrew to have a fresh start and look towards
a brighter futu re. I would like to thank all our fantastic
volunteers, supporters, our primary sponsor Leeds Trinity
University and of course Andrew for making this year’s Ball so
special.”
At the Leeds Marriott guests enjoyed an evening of glamour
with a drinks reception, a delicious three course meal,
dancing to the early hours to live music from Kabuki, and of
course fun and fundraising to change lives in Leeds.

To book your tickets for the 2016 Ball,
contact Natalie on 0113 248 4126.