Crisis meeting as 20,000 appeal to SVP for help

MORE than 800 members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) attended a crisis meeting in Dublin at the weekend to plan ahead for tougher times.

Demands for the charity’s services have soared in recent months — more than 20,000 have appealed to its Dublin office so far this year, a figure that is up almost 40% on last year.

Dublin region SVP president Rose McGowan said the theme of the special meeting — Tougher Times, Tender Hearts — summed up the very real concern of members to help those with severe problems in a very practical and humane way.