Co-Founder of Acton Homeless Concern Receives Award
Mary Foster has been volunteering locally since the eighties
Mary Foster (right) receiving her award
November 20, 2024
A woman who was the co-founder of Acton Homeless Concern has ben given an award by the Diocese of Westminster.
Mary Foster is a parishioner at the Catholic parish of Our Lady of Grace and St Edward’s in Chiswick, who has been volunteering in the area since the eighties.
She was among those awarded at the Diocese of Westminster’s ‘Love in Action’ Volunteering Awards on 14 November, hosted by Caritas Westminster.
The event recognised volunteers from across the diocese for outstanding commitment to voluntary service, with finalists selected from a pool of over 60 nominations.
Winner of the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award,’ during her long stint of service, Mary is a co-founding Trustee of Acton Homeless Concern, which is now in its 35th year. At 83, she continues to be responsible for the charity’s provision to women and children.
In her own parish, Mary has helped with Parenting Classes for new parents, bereavement counselling, and co-founded the Parish Bereavement Group, as well as being an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
The ceremony opened with a welcome from Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Richard Harries, Director of Caritas Westminster, and included a speech by previous award-winner, Sharon Joseph. Awards were distributed by Bishop Paul McAleenan, Chair of Caritas Westminster, with finalists, their nominators, family and friends joined by staff and supporters of Caritas Westminster.
The five categories recognised individuals and groups of volunteers who serve in a variety of contexts; from social action initiatives in parishes and schools to young volunteers, lifetime achievement and fulfilling a range of tasks for their communities.
Addressing the finalists, Bishop Paul said, ‘This evening is an acknowledgment of your achievements, and an affirmation of everything that you do. Thank you to all the participants for your great generosity in reaching out to others, and for bringing your goodness into the world.’
Winners included primary school students who participated in the Caritas Ambassadors programme, Sixth Form pupils involved in student chaplaincy, long-serving parishioners who are the backbone of their communities, and projects founded during the pandemic to support the homeless and vulnerable.
The Young Volunteer of the Year Award went to Kai Shah, who at just 11 years old has already shown great dedication to preparing meals for and serving the homeless. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was named after Ernest Bernard Ronald Palmer, who volunteered at Caritas St Joseph’s for almost 40 years until the age of 103.
‘Volunteers bring to life the Church’s teaching on the ministry of charity, and it is a privilege for Caritas Westminster to celebrate the efforts of parishioners who have gone the extra mile in loving their neighbours,’ said Richard Harries. ‘This year’s finalists are wonderful examples of love in action, and we are excited to support them and thousands of other social action volunteers across the diocese in the coming year.’
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