Since the middle of March 2020 we have been practicing the art of social distancing in the fight against the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Both our UK and overseas projects are affected by the lockdown and new projects are on hold for the time being. This past month we also said farewell to Helen Granger, who has been the inspirational coordinator of Assumption Volunteers in the past 14 years! 

Newcastle

• Kids Kabin and the Pendower Good Neighbour projects are closed.
• Kimmy and John returned to the US before the borders closed, Nerea is back in Spain.
• Svetlana and Jude remain in Walker and continue to develop and deliver activity packs for the kids from Kids Kabin
• They remain good neighbours to the Sisters - though they can no longer get together for prayer or meals, they help out when they can with shopping or gardening.
• Junee is across town, in Pendower with Abigail. They use this time to get some work done in the centre and continue to distribute bread, groceries etc. they receive as donations.

Overseas projects: Philippines

•  Charlene was getting ready to join the new batch of AMA volunteers in May - her departure is now postponed. We hope current volunteers who are still in their projects, will remain safe in the time of quarantine. 

Farewell to Helen

• For the past 14 years Helen coordinated the 'Assumption Volunteers UK' projects and during this time enabled 82 people to volunteer in the Philippines, Rwanda, Tanzania, Brazil, India, Lithuania, Vietnam and Newcastle. 
• Sisters, colleagues, past and current volunteers remain grateful to Helen for her unfailing support, quiet wisdom and gentle presence as director of the project.  
• Anne Marie Salgo will be taking over as interim coordinator while the sisters consider how best to take the programme forward in our changing world.
• Helen said: "I will join the rapidly-growing group of friends who have retired and who say they are now so busy they don't know how they ever managed to fit in work. At the moment with social distancing of course. It's been a wonderful opportunity to be part of so many journeys. Many thanks to the sisters and to so many others... St Marie Eugenie said: 'Everyone has a mission on earth' and I have been blessed to have helped people live theirs. It's a wonderful job and I wish all our past and present (and future) volunteers every blessing."