Society of St. Vincent de Paul - England & Wales

The St Vincent de Paul Society (or as it is often known - the SVP) is an international Christian organisation. Catholic in origin and character it is dedicated to helping anyone in need. The concept of need is broadly based, so visiting the sick, the lonely, the addicted and those suffering from disabilities form a large proportion of the Society's work.


The Society exists in about 140 countries with nearly one million members. In England and Wales, its 16,000 volunteers annually carry out around one million recorded visits. The essential work of the Society is person to person contact, and as this is a fundamental part of the Society's ethos, it does not make donations to any work in which members are not personally involved. However it recognises that material or financial assistance may help those in need overcome crises and develop longer-term solutions to their problems.


The Society operates in small groups, called "Conferences", based on local parishes or schools. They meet regularly to review their work as well as allocating future work in a spirit of prayer and mutual support. The work of a Conference is usually concentrated on local visiting. However, other activities may include "special works", which serve people in a wider area or give more specialised help in a certain aspect of the work, such as furniture stores, hostels, holiday schemes, children's summer camps and Drop-In Centres.

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