Groups
Dorothy Purchase Memorial Fund (DPMF)
(The Lourdes Group - People and Pilgrims)
Background
The DPMF is not a parish organisation, but a local
independant fund raising group. Our parishioners
support the fund and the DPMF has generously
helped some of our own parishioners to go on
pilgrimage. Please be generous in supporting them.
History
Dorothy Purchase was the mother of two members
of the fundraising team. She died tragically aged
54, in a car accident on 11th January 1992 on the
A30 near Bodmin, on her way to a Legion of Mary
Curia meeting in Plymouth. She lived in Newquay parish, a wife and mother of five children, and a devout Catholic, with a great devotion to Our Lady. It was in response to the grief process, that the idea of a memorial fund was established. The fund started in September 1994 as a result of a house Prayer Meeting in Newquay. The beginnings were humble with a fundraising team of five people from four parishes across Mid- Cornwall.
Aims
1 To be a tool for evangelisation
2 To encourage people on their life journey
3 To promote devotion to Our Lady
4 To encourage youth participation in fundraising and as helpers on pilgrimage.
Activities
Initially pilgrimage was solely to Lourdes in France, but as a result of prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit, our emphasis broadened to include Medjugorje in Bosnia, Rome, Walsingham in Norfolk, and World Youth Day 2006 & 2008. It was also decided to develop the evangelising aim of the fund by sponsoring people on Diocesan approved evangelising courses. We have so far helped sponsor three priests while in seminary.
Fourteen years on, we have financially assisted or facilitated a total of 124 people and have raised £40,000 to date. This number consists of all ages. Young terminally ill children accompanied by parents to young adults, youth helpers, nurses, religious, priests and the elderly. All sponsorship is confidential and mostly local.
Fundraising
Fundraising locally has included coffee mornings, lunches and entertainment, garden parties, raffles and cake sales, car boot sales, hog roasts, BBQ’s, fashion evenings. Some benefactors donate a sum annually. Any help is appreciated.
For the past 5 years we have held an annual May Ball at a hotel in Newquay.
This years is:
May Ball
Friday 14 May, 7.00 for 7.45pm
at the Esplanade Hotel, Pentire, Newquay.
Tickets £25 from a committe member.
This is to help send four nurses to Lourdes
and support two seminarians.
Our thanks
Looking back in appreciation to all our supporters living and dead, we are grateful for the wonderful memories made, the growth in our community spirit and hospitality, and finally the proactive use of all the money raised which has facilitated numerous pilgrim journeys. All participants can reflect on their individual growth both in memory and identity. We are thankful for God’s blessings on all our humble efforts. We remember that charity is an immediate gift. When we share of our resources and time we are promised blessings in abundance.
Heartfelt thanks for your support and encouragement over the past 14 years.
Help us
If you feel called to help us in any way by:
- giving a donation
- supporting our May Ball
- sponsorship
- donating raffle prizes
- selling tickets
- offering to host an event
- or you have any fresh ideas
please contact the Treasurer, Jenny Fairman on (01872) 510070, or the team via the Parish Office Contact