The SVP Conference in Winchester meets each week (Wednesdays from 7.00pm - 8.00pm in the Convent) to pray, to reflect on a reading and to report on visits made by members to the elderly (in their homes and in residential care homes), to families and single people, to prisoners and to the hospital, and on help given to rough sleepers and the homeless. The Conference is generously supported by the parish of Hampshire Downs and by donations from individuals. It has links with other religious communities in Winchester and with charitable organisations engaged in similar work. It is represented on the SVP Southampton District Council and has links with the National Council's Social Justice Committee. We organise two Masses each year for the Sick and Housebound, an SVP summer outing for older persons and distribute a number of food parcels to the needy at Christmas.
SVP is an international and national organisation which has been in existence since 1833 - in England since 1844. The Winchester Conference was started in 1923.
We support five conferences in India with which we are 'twinned', as well as making donations to SVP schemes such as the Baby Feeding programme in the Sudan. We welcome applications from people wishing to join us. References are required from applicants as is a CRB check and attendance at a Portsmouth Diocesan training session for those wishing to visit Vulnerable Adults.