Caritas director Patricia Chalé

Caritas Westminster, the social action agency for the Diocese of Westminster, has announced its first projects.

Caritas will work with the charity Contact the Elderly to develop and implement a unique befriending model aimed at the elderly and isolated in six Westminster parishes as well as setting up a food bank in Borehamwood.

Caritas was set up in May 2012 to enable the Diocese to work with parishes and the wider community to coordinate social action projects that will help the most vulnerable in society.

The initiative with Contact the Elderly will launch in six parishes in the Diocese of Westminster; Pinner, Kensington, Enfield, Hayes, Ruislip and Tottenham. These parishes have been chosen as they all have high numbers of people over the age of 75 living on their own. The befriending model will benefit both the immediate parish, but also the wider community.

Caritas has also enabled the Catholic Churches in Borehamwood, St Teresa and SS John Fisher and Thomas More, in association with Borehamwood Christian Council, Hertsmere’s Forum of Faiths and the national charity The Trussell Trust to start the planning to set up a pilot food bank in the town, which will provide non-perishable food, such as soup, pasta, rice, tinned meat and fruit, for people in need. It is hoped that the food bank will be operational by Christmas 2012.

Director of Caritas Patricia Chalé said: “The work of Caritas in the Diocese of Westminster is simple; we are here to ensure that the Catholic parishes of the diocese can serve the poor and needy in today’s society effectively. We work with other organisations, to put parishes in touch with people who may be experts in a particular area to ensure that any parish projects are run as best as they can be.”

Caritas is interested in speaking to individuals and organisations who are passionate about addressing the complex and challenging issues in today’s society. Anyone interested in working with Caritas should contact Patricia Chalé by emailing patriciachale@rcdow.org.uk