Good Shepherd appeal

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Each year, during Lent, we run an appeal to help raise vital money to support our work and invite all Catholic primary schools within the Archdiocese to take part.

From our early days, schoolchildren have helped support Father Hudson’s by collecting coins during Lent, and this remains one of our most important sources of income. Today, children help raise money through the annual Good Shepherd Appeal.

Many schools give out a Good Shepherd Appeal box for children to take home and save the money they would normally spend on sweets and treats. Other schools choose not to use the collection boxes and raise money in other ways. We are happy for schools to support us in whatever way is best for them. Other ideas have included donating £1 for an Odd Shoe Day (there is a poster for download at the foot of this page) or a non-uniform day. New suggestions are always welcomed, or see our Fundraising A-Z for inspiration.

Schools taking part in the appeal receive collection boxes and posters. We also supply fundraising ideas, letters to parents and information about the Good Shepherd Masses.

Our School and Parish Fundraisers visit schools to deliver assemblies to those who request them. During the assembly, the children learn about our work and how the money they raise helps people in need across the Archdiocese. The fundraiser and teachers discuss how well they did last year and how each class will try and raise money this year. These assemblies are an excellent way of showing the children how important each donation is and how they can help make a real difference to people’s lives.

/media/children_families/library/archbishop.jpg To celebrate the end of the appeal, we hold Good Shepherd Masses at churches around the Archdiocese and each school that takes part is invited to attend. During the Mass, one or two pupils from each school present their school’s offertory cheque to the Principal Celebrant usually the Archbishop or one of the Auxiliary Bishops.

The Masses are joyful occasions in which the children are encouraged to play an active role by participating in the offertory procession, singing hymns and reading Bible verses or bidding prayers. They offer the chance to meet with other schools, as well as giving an opportunity to talk to the Bishop or Archbishop.

Money raised through the appeal helps sustain our work with vulnerable people throughout the Archdiocese of Birmingham. This includes:

Family Support Service – working with schools to help vulnerable children and their families in Banbury, Birmingham, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent;
Hope Family Project – seeking out and supporting vulnerable families and the wider community in Heath Town, Wolverhampton;
Brushstrokes – working with destitute and homeless people in Smethwick;
New Routes fostering service – finding loving and supportive foster families for children in care;
Adult care services – providing a range of care services to disabled people and those with complex needs or learning disabilities, and to older people and people with dementia;
Origins Service – helping people whose lives were touched by adoption through the society to trace their families;
Parish Projects – supporting communities to develop their own projects that meet the needs of local people.

You’ll find more information on these projects on this website.

The money raised through schools is crucial in helping us to continue to serve those in need and we are grateful to all those who take part and donate so generously each year.

To find out more, please contact your local School and Parish Engagement Officer.

Birmingham, Caversham, Coventry, Oxfordshire, Solihull and Warwickshire: please contact Margot on 07738-884424 or margotscotford@fatherhudsons.org.uk
The Black Country, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire: please contact Lucy on 07880-381792 or lucydavis@fatherhudsons.org.uk
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent: please contact Megan on 07823-526786 or megancox@fatherhudsons.org.uk