‘Run-up to Christmas is fairly frantic’ – SVP volunteer notices increase in calls for help

This is the third year Geraldine McIlwaine has been visiting families looking for support from the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) in the Derry town of Coleraine. Ms McIlwaine, who is also a full-time school principal in Belfast, is honouring the memory of her father, who was a volunteer with the SVP charity for more than 50 years. “I came into SVP following the death of my father, because he had been a lifelong member, and he asked me to try and continue it on, so I’m honouring his memory,” she said. She enjoys being a volunteer, finding that it is extremely rewarding but that it comes with certain challenges. Her group has 10 volunteers who have meetings every two weeks. Read more: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news...