SVP members welcome their international President to the North of England
The St Vincent de Paul Society in the North of England welcomed their international President, Michael Thio, and his wife, Rosalind, on their visit in May. Michael comes from Singapore, leads a Society which has 750,000 members in 147 countries and is the first non-European President General of the SVP. Prior to his retirement, he was the Managing Director of British Telecom for South-East Asia.
Michael visited the Sheffield Furniture Store and addressed a Festival meeting and Mass with SVP members. He then went on to Leeds where he visited one of several community shops run by the SVP in Leeds, then on to St Jude’s Furniture Store, meeting with some of the probationers who work there. He also visited an ‘1833’ (University) group at Leeds Trinity University and met members at a reception in Wheeler Hall at St Anne’s Cathedral.
His final visit before going on to Scotland and Ireland was to Newcastle where he saw the Blackfriars Counselling Service, a Deaf Centre, approved premises – all run by the SVP, then met with members at a Festival meeting followed by Benediction in Fenham.
The SVP are planning to open a Community Shop and Furniture Store in Middlesbrough within the next year.
Mike Walmsley, Middlesbrough Diocesan SVP President