Council Vice Chair hosts a reception to mark 180 years of the Society of St Vincent de Paul

Recently the Vice Chair, Councillor Elaine Brough, hosted a reception to mark 180 years of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

The following is a copy of the speech delivered by the Vice Chair at the reception.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen

As Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am delighted to welcome you all here to Strule Arts Centre, Omagh for this reception in recognition of the 180^th Anniversary of the Society of St Vincent De Paul.

St Vincent de Paul was founded in Ireland in 1844 as an anti-poverty charity dedicated to tackling poverty in all its forms through providing practical assistance to those in need.  It aims to achieve this through its mission to provide support and friendship whilst protecting dignity and confidentiality; promoting self-sufficiency; and working for social justice to identify the root cause of poverty and disadvantage.  Through all your work you embrace diversity and inclusivity.

In Fermanagh and Omagh, I understand there are 16 St Vincent de Paul conference helplines and shops in Enniskillen and Omagh which is commendable.  This is also important as recent research identified that the average rate of poverty in the District over the last six years is 23%.  Poverty can have significant adverse impacts on the individual’s health and wellbeing and young children in families who are experiencing poverty can also be affected.

St Vincent de Paul is operated by volunteers and to sustain the charity for 180 years is truly commendable.  This would not be possible without the generosity of people like you who give selflessly of your time to support others.  I believe one of the key elements of success is the invaluable gift of companionship which you provide alongside the material support.  At the heart of the services you provide is a personal connection and dedicated time and attention to everyone who comes to you.

Each and every volunteer has made a significant difference to the lives of so many in our District, providing hope and a vital lifeline during difficult times, and I commend you for this.  You have also played your part in the 180 years of the success of St Vincent de Paul.

Whilst this special milestone in your history is one to be celebrated, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the ongoing challenges that our communities continue to experience.  I am confident that through charities such as St Vincent de Paul with committed and dedicated volunteers, these challenges can be addressed.

The Council is committed to supporting communities to minimise the impact of poverty and inequalities in the District and it is committed to working in partnership with other organisations to tackle poverty and disadvantage.  To achieve this the Council has developed a draft Anti-Poverty Strategy which it recently consulted on.  It aims to improve the lives and wellbeing of residents by supporting those experiencing poverty.

In 2023, the Council delivered a suite of Cost-of-Living initiatives and I am delighted that we worked in partnership with St Vincent de Paul locally to deliver a fuel poverty scheme.  This was a valuable initiative as fuel poverty is one of the main types of poverty in Fermanagh and Omagh.

On behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and on my own behalf, I would like to congratulate St Vincent de Paul on this special milestone anniversary, and I wish the charity every success in the years ahead.  I would also like to thank each and every volunteer, past and present, for the hard work and commitment shown to the charity to support those in need in our District.

Thank you.