Newspage
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07/01/12 - Groups needing helpers for 2012 are now listed on a new page on the website. Go to "this year's national pilgrimages" to see all details - we will regularly update the list as groups fill up. 09/06/11 - URGENT PLEA FOR HELPERS! Dear Friend, ACROSS needs your help. We have a large number of VIPs who are all hoping to travel with us to Lourdes on one of our remaining National groups this year. However we are still in need of more helpers on all of these groups before we can confirm to our VIPs that they can travel. If you can possibly spare the time on one of the following weeks, please call the ACROSS office as soon as possible: group 3186 July 28th - August 6th group 3189 August 18th - 27th group 3192 September 8th - 17th group 3197 October 13th - 22th group 3198 October 20th - 29th Please remember that some funding may be available if this is an issue, and that we are happy to facilitate staged payments over a period of time if finances are an issue for you. Thank you so much for your support - without you many people would not get to Lourdes to make their pilgrimage with Our Lady, and with your help they can fulfill their dreams.
04/05/11 - Winners of the 2010 Grand Jumbodraw! Our thanks to everyone who bought or sold our raffle tickets for this year's prize draw. The draw took place on April 25th, and all winning tickets were drawn by the neighbours to our new office in Inveraray. The winners of each prize are listed below:
Many congratulations to the winners, who are being contacted to arrange receipt of their prizes. If you are in a position to provide a prize, however small, for our 2011 draw, we would be extremely grateful. Please contact the office with any suggestions. 11/04/11 - News of our new team in Lourdes Dear Friends, Further to our announcement regarding John Divers’ departure, we are now able to share with you our plans for our Lourdes team in 2011. I am delighted to say that Libby Frank will be working with us for this season as our Lourdes representative. Many of you know Libby from her days at L’Astazou with the Across Trust, and she brings with her a wealth of experience as regards supporting groups in Lourdes and providing all required administrative support. Libby will work part time alongside Stef, and between them they will ensure daily contact with groups in Lourdes, and all of the support that groups have had in the past. Libby will take on some of Stef’s administrative tasks, freeing up some of his time during the week for more driving of groups. As well as this, we have arranged to have the services of a driver from Lasbareilles, a local coach company, for three days a week Wednesdays to Fridays. On the first two of these days he is available for driving groups as normal, and on Fridays he will assist with loading the outgoing Jumbulance and will then drive the outgoing group to Cahors. This will mean that we have a better balance of work for the team on our busy Fridays, and that all group needs on this first or last day are well looked after. Stef will still do the drive in on the Friday morning as usual, and you will see more of him during the week. Jan continues to work on Fridays for us as before. The team will be responsible for booking the groups’ venues and required driving for the week, and therefore we ask all group leaders where possible to provide their schedule for the week ahead of their arrival, so that the driving requirements can be planned week to week. We are also looking to simplify one or two areas for our groups, including ACROSS merchandise. For this season therefore, merchandise will be sold by Libby from the social room in the hotel, on Saturday afternoons and at various other times during the week. A larger stock will be kept at the hotel, meaning you have more opportunity to buy and will have your goods more quickly than before. We are very confident that this new structure will provide an excellent level of support for groups in Lourdes and know that you will all make Libby feel very welcome. You can contact her by email libby@across.org.uk and she is looking forward to welcoming you in Lourdes this year.
25/02/11 - IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE READ Dear Friends, It is with great sadness that I am writing to you today to share with you the news that Kenny, our Secretary and founder trustee, has decided that the time has come to retire from his role with ACROSS so that he can spend more time with friends, family and of course Sylvia, who retires in April. I cannot begin to do justice in this email to Kenny’s many years of unswerving commitment to Across Scotland and then ACROSS, and devotion to Lourdes and Our Lady. Without him, ACROSS would not be where it is today and we have so much to thank him for – far more than I could conceivably write here. Kenny has supported all aspects of the work required for ACROSS to function and grow, and it is largely down to him that we are so well placed with a bright future ahead. It is Kenny’s intention to retire in May at our AGM, and I know that you will join with me and my fellow trustees in wishing him well in his retirement. At present he still plans to lead groups with us to Lourdes, so it is not a complete good-bye. Kenny and Sylvia’s retirements mark an end of an era for ACROSS, and the beginning of a new one where we have some big shoes to fill and must plan carefully for the future. With this in mind the board of trustees have decided to issue an invitation for applications for new trustees to join the ACROSS management committee. We are looking for candidates who are able to contribute actively to all the areas of activity that support the work of ACROSS. As you give this consideration, could I just make you aware that this means that we are asking each trustee to take on some area of responsibility that will require a commitment of time on an on-going basis. ACROSS is a very small organisation with limited resources and heavy running costs; sadly we are not currently in a position to fund resource to cover all areas of work required, and rely on our board of trustees (who are all unpaid) to do so. We are not talking about full-time work however! A few hours each week is what we are looking for, and of course a commitment to the overall management of ACROSS through regular email contact and our quarterly trustees meetings, plus attendance at one or two other events throughout the year. We would welcome applications from those who have experience and skills in any of the following areas: marketing, promotion, fund-raising, HR, compliance, medical, transport, operations, IT/web, finance. If you would like to apply, please send me a letter of application, stating in detail your background and experience and what you feel you could bring to ACROSS. Candidates need not have a long history of travel to Lourdes or ACROSS, although this helps of course. You will need to bring with you energy, enthusiasm and a can-do, hands on approach, as well as an ability to be adaptable to our ever-changing situations! We are looking for foward-thinking individuals who will place the future growth and stability of ACROSS at the heart of what they do, and who will support our organisation’s key objectives, including the promotion of Lourdes, Our Lady and the Catholic faith. Just like an ACROSS group, it is demanding work and often tiring, but always rewarding! I am happy to receive letters by email at marianne@across.org.uk, or by post to Marianne Wanstall, 48 Edington Close, Bishop’s Waltham SO32 1LX. Please submit your application by March 31st2011. After this date we shall review all applications and shortlist for interviews – dates and times of these will be published in due course. Many thanks. If you would like to talk through the requirements of a trustee with me in more detail, I am more than happy to do so. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Marianne Wanstall ACROSS Chairman
24/02/11 Updated list of helpers needed for our National groups. If you are able to help on any of the groups showing helpers needed, please contact the office. Thank you!
06/02/11 Lots of changes afoot at ACROSS. Firstly, ACROSS is on the move! After many years enjoying generous space in Kenny and Sylvia’s house, we are moving on so that they can enjoy some peace and quiet at home. In the next few weeks we are moving the office base to a new location in Inveraray. Our new address is: ACROSS, Upper Riochan, Inveraray, PA32 8UR. Our phone numbers remain unchanged. However we have also updated our web and email addresses, and from now on you can find us online at www.across.org.uk. As soon as we are settled in to our new home, we will post some photos on Facebook for you to enjoy! Along with a new home we have a new face. In the light of Sylvia’s upcoming retirement, we are delighted to announce that we have appointed Liz McDonald to the role of Group Administrator, working alongside the wonderful Julie. Liz comes to us with extensive experience in administration and social care, and is very much looking forward to a new challenge with us. Liz started work on Feb 4thand will be attending our group leader workshops, so some of you will meet her very quickly. We are sure that you will also soon be speaking to her on the phone as well. Sylvia continues to be completely involved until early April. Whilst we say hello to a new face, we must say goodbye to a familiar one. we are sad to announce that John Divers is leaving Lourdes and ACROSS shortly, to start a new life in Dublin. John’s many years of commitment to ACROSS have been invaluable, and we shall miss him greatly. We are currently working on a structure to cover all of John’s responsibilities in Lourdes and ensure that our groups are as well looked after as they always were. We will of course keep you posted as our plans develop.
01/11/10 The Trustees are sad to announce that after many years of wonderful work and commitment in our office, Sylvia has decided the time has come to put her feet up a little more and enjoy time with family and friends – and of course the dogs! We shall miss her greatly and ACROSS won’t be the same without her. The good news is that Sylvia will not be leaving ACROSS immediately, as she will be providing complete induction, training and handover for the successful candidate until well into 2011.
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The 21st consecutive Jumboball is to to be held at Holiday Inn, East Kilbride.
A new venue for 2010 - the Holiday Inn is a 4 star Hotel, accessible for wheelchair users and boasts a Health Club with swimming pool and gym to which hotel residents have complimentary access. Tickets for the four course dinner and dance are £35 and overnight accomodation incliusive of breakfast is £75 per twin room. Tickets available from the ACROSS Office.
A jumbulance could be available to bring guests from the south to the ball if required.
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Continuing the theme of praying with Bernadette, the Lourdes Theme for 2011 is "with Bernadette Praying the Our Father"
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The website Forum which until now was available to Group leaders and medical team has now been closed. For interactive discussion with other ACROSS supporters, to make suggestions, upload photos, advertise events (either centrally or locally) please join the "ACROSS to Lourdes by Jumbulance" page on Facebook.
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Theme for 2010
The Lourdes authorities have designated 2010 as the first of three years designated to the Sign of the Cross.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The only group still requiring help in 2010 is a female helper required for 21-30 October.
National groups requiring helpers in 2011
3198 20 October 29 October + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
If your organisation would like to arrange a holiday by Jumbulance to a destination of your choice please contact the office for details and prices. All costings are calculated individually depending on your requirements.
Whilst weekly groups will continue to travel to the Hotel Mediterranee in Lourdes, ACROSS can provide transport only to Lourdes for Diocesan groups or parishes wishing to utilise alternative accommodation.
Contact the Office for an application form or additional information
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Can you be a regular supporter
ACROSS operates two different schemes to help us make financial ends meet. The first is the Friends of ACROSS and the second is our 200 Club. If you wish to help click on to either of the links above.
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