Bedford Row Family Project

Tionscadal Teaghlach Rae Bedford

Charity No. 13486

Franciscan / Mercy Joint Initiative

Franciscan Hall, Lr Bedford Row, Limerick

Tel. 061 315332

Fax. 061 310036

Email Us

News and Events

Family Support Course
25/Oct/2010
The Second Year of the Family Support Course began on 29 Sep 10 so we are now well on our way!

This year we will be placing more emphasis on the ‘Placement’ side of the Course. This means that we will work with families in a focused way to give them hope and confidence to address their difficulties.

The Placement will also continue the Children’s Group for children from Southill. Last year it was on a Saturday and this year we hope to have it on Tuesdays, after school, in Bedford Row Family Project. With the advent of our people carriers it should make collection and dropping off a little easier! It will, indeed, be a ‘little bit of Bedford Row’ in Southill. In addition to the Children’s Group, we will be running a Group for mothers in Southill. This is also a continuation of the previous Group which ran from Easter to Summer 2010.

An important Module on the Course this year will be ‘Ethos’. That is, Community Leadership, and Design in Family Support. These are exciting subjects which will be engaged with by both students and facilitators with the usual vigour. I am sure that we will all learn a lot!

Staff Changes
25/Oct/2010
Staff Changes

In Mid-October we were sad that Loretto O’Leary left her post as Family Link Social Worker. Loretto will be greatly missed by all in Bedford Row. Even though she was only with us since January, she was highly regarded and held in high esteem by all staff and families who came into contact with her. We wish Loretto well in her work in fostering in her native Kerry and we are sure that she will bring her warmth and enthusiasm to that work.

People Carriers
25/Oct/2010
We purchased two people carriers in October 2010.

We are most grateful to Limerick Regeneration Agencies and the JP McManus Foundation who co-funded this venture. We are sure that we will use them both to the full, both for the Children’s Groups and for many other ventures that previously we could not do due to lack of transport and the high cost of hiring cars/minibuses etc.

Students
25/Oct/2010
As the Academic Year begins we have a number of students in Bedford Row.

We wish to extend a warm welcome to Michelle O’Connor, Jackie O’Flynn, and Kieran McNamara, all of whom are utilising Bedford Row Family Project to further their studies. Michelle is doing a MSW in UCC and Jackie and Kieran are both doing Diploma in Youth and Community also under the aegis of UCC.

European Children of Prisoners Week
19/Jul/2010
Bedford Row contributes to Europe-wide ‘National Awareness Week for CHildren of Prisoners'

We have run children’s groups since last Autumn and to celebrate the contribution that the children and their parents have made we had an exhibition of the children’s work and a presentation of certificates on the afternoon of Thu 3 Jun 10. This also marked our contribution to the Europe-wide ‘National Awareness Week’ organised by Eurochips, the organisation responsible for welfare of children of prisoners in Europe. Bedford Row Family Project has been a member of Eurochips since 2007. (To find out more about Eurochips and Bedford Row those interested are invited to look up www.eurochips.org or www.bedfordrow.ie).

Bedford Row would like to thank funding agencies that enable these groups to happen week in week out in Bedford Row.

The Irish Prison Service who provide core funding for our Project.
The HSE who recognise the value of our work with children.
Also, Limerick Regeneration Agencies, St. Vincent de Paul and Southill Family Resource Centre all contributed towards children's programmes.
AIB Better Ireland Awards have recently granted us funding which will help to continue this into next year.

We would like to thank the parents, (and in some cases grandparents)! who place their trust in the Project to provide after-school activities for the children.

The Staff, Volunteers and Students in Bedford Row have worked hard all year coming up with their good ideas to match the children’s good ideas!

Most importantly of all however we thank the children who brighten up our lives every week with their wonderful gifts of creativity and expressiveness and we hope that today will be the first of many days like this where we will assemble to celebrate work that we have done together.

10th Anniversary
24/Sep/2009
Bedford Row celebrated our 10th Anniversary on 24 Sep 09. It was a gathering of many people who have been interested in the work of Bedford Row over the past 10 years. The 10th Anniversary coincided with the launch of Research Report 'Prison Based Addiction Counselling' funded by HSE and Irish Prison Service and carried out by Dublin City University. Gerry Moore of DCU went through the more important aspects of the Report.

We were delighted that Governor Tadhg O'Riordan of Limerick Prison was available to speak at our Anniversary/Launch.
Tadhg spoke of the challenges faced by the Prison authorities in reducing the incidence of drug taking amongst prisoners and outlined initiatves that had been put in place since the Research was initiated. Sr. Peggy Collins, (who was Project Leader of Bedford Row from 2001 until 2007) launched the Report and in her speech stressed that even in these difficult times, financially, resources put into reducing drug misuse would be money well spent.

For the 10th \ Anniversary, three people who have been associated with Bedford Row for many years, Marie O'Shea, Nicola Whelan, and John Carmody, spoke of their experiences. Marie and Nicola spoke of how they were assisted by Bedford Row in different ways, and John recited two poems which he had written which were very moving.

The food (provided by Kileely Resource Centre) was beautiful and much enjoyable conversation was had by all during the course of the evening.

Gratitude is expressed to staff of the Project, including volunteers, who worked very hard in preparing the Centre for the event.

Bereavements
13/Mar/2009
The first ten weeks of 2009 brings us sad news in Bedford Row.

Firstly the beloved husband of one of our staff Rita Quinn, Tony, passed away on 2 Mar 09 after a long illness. Tony first got ill in May 2008 and the family and Tony met the challenge of the illness with courage and fortitude. Tony will be fondly remembered by all his friends of which there were many both in Limerick and Carrigaholt in West Clare where he and his family spent many happy years. Bedford Row wish to extend our sympathy to his family. May he rest in peace.

Just one week after the news of Tony’s passing came the news that our long time colleague and friend, Mary (who was known to everyone as Agnes) Whelan died in Milford Hospice. Agnes had been a staff member of Bedford Row since the early days and her contribution was far in excess of the hours she worked! She will be always remembered for her ironic humour delivered in a deadpan manner which brought us all down to earth when we most needed it. Agnes loved music, dancing and fun was a regular visitor to Lisdoonvarna every September. She was highly regarded by members of our focus group who met with her in the Hospitality Centre where she dispensed refreshments and listened carefully to people who came from far and near.

We will all miss Agnes who was taken from us far too soon and our sympathy is extended to her family at this time. Ar dheis Dé a raibh a n-anam.