South Edinburgh Cluster Youth Group (SECYG)

You may have seen the recent newsletter notice about the Youth Group. Nobody expressed an interest in getting it up and running again, so we have, sadly, had to formally close it.

Our Constitution requires that, “In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will be passed to an organisation with similar aims.“ We have drawn up a list of organisations to donate our equipment and funds to, and this will happen over the coming weeks. If anybody would like a copy of the minute of the Extraordinary General Meeting setting out all of this, please contact Gerry Mulvenna (07586 275 575).

 

The Youth Group started over 14 years ago and, over the years, we have been blessed with a large number of people who gave of their time and talent to help run the Youth Group. There are too many to name individually, but we are deeply grateful to each and every one of you for everything that you did. We do though remember especially Norma Meehan, one of our founder leaders. 

In addition to the adult leaders we had young leaders over the years, and 6th Year pupils from Holy Rood High School who spent some time helping at the Youth Group as part of their Caritas Award. We appreciate all the ways in which they enriched our Group – we know the young people always loved having you around.

We are also thankful to all the young people who came along over the years. We tried to count them, but there are far too many!! As leaders, we got so much out of the time that we spent with you on Friday evenings and during the weekend activity camps at Benmore and Lagganlia we were lucky to be able to participate in. It is the young people who made the Youth Group what it was.

There are so many fantastic memories over the years that will stay with us forever. Thanks to all who made those memories.

 

While this is an end of one chapter with regard to this particular youth ministry in our Cluster Parishes, we hope that at some point in the future there may be others who feel drawn to doing something similar for our young people: based on our experience, you will find it deeply rewarding.

Susanne, Kay, Gillian, Gerry, Fred and Carolyn.

Many might remember that, back in 2008, a group of parishioners came together to plan and start a Youth Group. It opened in 2009 and ran fortnightly right up until the first lockdown at the start of the pandemic. Face-to-face youth groups were amongst the last activities/gatherings to be permitted again as we emerged from the pandemic restrictions. For a variety of reasons, those who ran the Youth Group have not been able to get it started up again.

The retiring Youth Group leaders all agree that it would be fantastic if there were people who would like to take over and continue our Youth Group – over these past 14 and a bit years, everybody who has been involved has spoken about how very rewarding it is. If there are, the equipment and funds can be used for that purpose. If there aren’t people able to get it up and running again, we will have to formally dissolve the Youth Group. That sounds very formal, but we are required by our Constitution to do this.

With the hall in St John Vianney’s closing in eleven weeks’ time, we need to decide quite quickly what to do with the equipment and funds that belong to the Youth Group. We have therefore organised an Extraordinary General Meeting, to take place at 6.30pm on Friday 26 May 2023 in the hall at St John Vianney’s. Everybody who wishes, especially anybody who is interested in keeping the Youth Group going, is warmly invited to attend.

Please have a think about whether you might be able to give your time and talent to help with a Youth Group. If you would like any additional information, or have any questions, please contact Fred McConnell (07901 964 100) or Gerry Mulvenna (07586 275 575). We apologise for the very short notice and the tight timescales, but we will need time to distribute the equipment before the parish buildings close.