Burns Day Celebrations at the Vine Centre

Every Thursday afternoon is filled with laughter and conversation. These are not the sounds of children coming home from school but rather the sounds of our Pensioner's lunch club. the pensioners gather at 1pm for a meal and stay until 3pm for a varied programme. The meal includes a main course, dessert and tea/coffee all for £3.

Recently the pensioners had a great time celebrating the 250th snniversary of Robbie Burns' birth. The day kicked off with the traditional piping in of the Haggis followed by a spirited address to the Haggis provided by the Rev. Jack Lamb. After a meal of Scottish dishes and music, Rev. Lamb and Guilford Smith regaled the pensioners with toasts.

But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer Gie her a haggis!

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight

A Man's a Man for a' that: For a' that, and a' that

Sad Farewell

Bill Whitley, the manager of the Vine Centre’s Advice Service, passed away on Thursday 12 February after a brief illness, at the age of 64.

Over the past decade, Bill had helped hundreds of local people each year with a wide range of problems, and was always known for his attention to detail and his determination to get the best possible result for his clients.

Although he had lived in Lisburn for most of his adult life, Bill was originally from the Shankill area, having been brought up in Rutherglen Street. He had been involved in advice work for thirty five years, initially as a volunteer with Lisburn Citizens Advice Bureau. After leaving lecturing in the mid 1990’s he continued that interest in a paid capacity with the Lisburn Welfare Rights Group, and then in London with the Quaker ‘Open Door’ Project, before coming to the Vine as Advice Manager in June 1998. By his own admission he was not entirely keen on the idea when the job was first offered to him, but he took it nonetheless – perhaps because it gave him a chance to return to an area he had been very familiar with as a boy.

Trevor Cummings, the Director of the Vine Centre, said: ‘Staff at the Vine Centre have been struck over the last few days by the number of former clients of Bill’s who have got in touch to express their sympathies. It’s clear that they didn’t just appreciate the work he did on their behalf, but also his attentiveness to them and his genuine interest in helping them through their problems. They weren’t just clients to Bill – they were people, and they deserved and got his best efforts at all times.’

Away from work, Bill’s main interest in life was cricket, specifically Derriaghy Cricket Club where he had served as Club President for many years. He also liked horse and greyhound racing – though he was always evasive when asked if he ever risked a few pounds on a flutter. For reasons best know to himself, he was also one of the few people outside Cowdenbeath to take an active interest in Cowdenbeath Football Club.

His funeral was held at Kilmakee Presbyterian church in Dunmurry, followed by committal at Roselawn Cemetery.

FUNDING CRISIS!

Please pray for the Vine Centre especially at this time. We are having a major funding crisis which could meaning losing 3 vital positions at the Vine. This would have a devasting effect on the work that we do. Pray that we hear soon as to what our situation is going to be and that we are able to carry on helping people in this community. Thanks

Community Prayer Meeting

On the last Wednesday of every month from 1pm - 2pm a Community Prayer Meeting is held in the Vine Centre. It is an opportunity for Christians in the area to come together to pray for the work of the Vine Centre and the whole area.

Dates for the next Community Prayer meetings are

29th October 2008
26th November 2008
There will be no prayer meeting in December

If you would like information about the Community Prayer meetings contact David Surgenor (Pastrol Care Worker) on 90351020 or call into the Vine Centre at 193 Crumlin Road.

Digital Photography for the Over 50's Course

Have you got a digital camera that you are not sure how to use?

The Hammer Community Complex on Agnes Street (beside Malvern Assembly) are running a FREE digital photography class for the 50+ age starting on Thursday 23rd October 2008 from 10:45 to 12:45. The course will run for 10 weeks and Digital Camera's will be provided.

For more information you can contact Tracey or Natalie at 90332860 or call into the Hammer Complex on Agnes Street.

Meet our new American Volunteer

Greetings. My name is Joel Pier-Fitzgerald and I will be working at the VINE Centre for the next year. I will be working as a part of the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) programme which is sponsored through the Presbyterian Church USA. I am from Holland, Michigan in the United States and am very excited to be here in Northern Ireland. Holland is a small industrial city on the shores of Lake Michigan. I just graduated from Albion College in Albion Michigan with a degree in Religious Studies. As part of the YAV programme, I will be working part of the week at the Vine and the other part of the week at Cooke Centenary Presbyterian Church. I will help out with a variety of activities at both sites. I look forward to living in Belfast and sharing in ministry at the VINE Centre and Cooke.

We are saying goodbye to a valuable member of staff next June here at the Vine Centre so we thought it was important to mention this now on our blog spot.

Bill Whitley - Advice Services Manager attended the Management Committee meeting on 18th September 2008 together with Mr Trevor Cummings - Director of the Vine Centre and Mr Stephen Reid - Centre Manager.

Bill Whitley announced his intention to retire from the Vine Centre in the summer of 2009 after 11 years of valuable work with the Vine. Bill will be 65 in June and feels it is now time to hang up his hat as Advice Manager.

Rev Jack Drennan chaired the Management Committe Meeting.