Andy Quinn CEO retires

15 May 2024

News in category: General

Change is in the air at Father Hudson's Caritas. At the end of May, we will see a change of leadership.

Our greatly respected and much-loved CEO, Andy Quinn is retiring after nine years in the role. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Andy was Community Project Lead since joining us in November 2015. A role in which his commitment to building effective and lasting partnerships led to the development of projects supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society. Partnerships with Parishes, Religious Orders, Corporate groups and others, are illustrative of FHC’s willingness, under Andy’s leadership, to engage with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan and work in a synodal way.

As CEO, Andy has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to lead and manage not only a wide range of complex and disparate services, across the Archdiocese, but also the essential organisational areas of governance, finance and the other central services. He has been as fully engaged with the various Adult Care services in Coleshill as with the range of geographically spread Community Projects. His strategic and highly reflective approach ensures that every service/project development is thoroughly researched, and every aspect examined so that Father Hudson’s Care’s funders and partners can be confident in the sustainability of the service. In addition, Andy and FHC stepped up to coordinate the Archdiocesan response to support Ukrainian refugees.

Andy’s faith informs all his work and relationships and places the Eucharist at the heart of everything. His response to the exhortation of Jesus to ‘ love your neighbour’ is one of compassion and respect for everyone. Catholic Social Teaching with its emphasis on those at the margins informs every aspect of the work.

Andy has led and nurtured at FHC. Although he is now retiring, we know that Andy will continue to support the work of FHC and the emerging developments with parish ‘clusters’ – his wisdom will be welcome! Andy leaves us with our gratitude, love and our prayers and good wishes for his happiness and that of his family.

Fionnuala Hegarty, Chair of Trustees

A message from our CEO Andy Quinn who retires at the end of May:

I was surprised 20 years ago when I came to work here, by the variety of services we offered, and now 20 years later, I am even more surprised.

Building on Mgr. George Hudson’s original ideals of the importance of freedom, education, after-care, well-trained staff and good quality buildings. Father Hudson’s is now involved in supporting older people both residentially and in community groups, fostering, family support in schools, supporting those who currently have no home, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, individuals and families whose lives are affected by disability and adults who grew up in our care or who were adopted through us.

I don’t know where the 20 years have gone, but when I look at the previous paragraph I can guess. Our Trustees, our staff and our volunteers are always looking for new ways to serve, developing new services, responding to new or unmet needs. The work is never less than challenging and always enriching. It is not a place to stand still or with the householder in the parable, pondering how well he is doing, to say ‘sit back and relax’. Nor is it relentlessly activist. Reflection and thoughtfulness lead to action and sustainability.

For some staff, their faith and prayer, sustains them, for others their commitment to Human Rights, for all, I hope, compassion sustains them. I found this to be a place where it is possible to remain true to oneself and one’s ideal’s.

We thank Andy for all of his contributions, devotion and hard work. We send our best wishes, as he embarks on this new journey.