In the year 2006, our parish community celebrated its 150th Anniversary and it was a very eventful year for all of us in St Joseph's. As a longer term commemoration of our 150th Anniversary, we took a very exciting step by embarking on our own outward-looking Parish project.

We asked for suggestions from parishioners in Summer and Autumn 2006 and these were voted on at our Parish Assembly in September.

The project adopted at this meeting was “Mary’s Meals” which operates under the aegis of Scottish International Relief fund. It operates on very low overheads and through its programme of direct feeding using local foodstuffs and resources wherever possible, it is able to supply enough food for a child for a whole year for a little over £5.00. (see www.marysmeals.org/ )

Our parish project will involve much more than general support of this area of work. Through "Mary's Meals", we have been able to establish a link with a Primary school in Malawi. Mitsidi Primary school in the urban Blantyre area of Malawii has 708 pupils. Quite simply, our commitment as a Parish is to provide the funds to feed these 700 pupils.

We hope to establish closer links and personal contact with this school as the project continues.