Harry 22, is a Graduate in Politics and International Relations has been a parish volunteer in the Portsmouth diocese since 2024.
Harry 22, is a Graduate in Politics and International Relations has been a parish volunteer in the Portsmouth diocese since 2024.
A pull to faith led Harry to join the RCIA. The Catholic church was the correct fit for him and he was baptised in 2021.
Meeting Jim (previous parish volunteer) at the Parish of Our Lady and Saint John of Lee and Stubbington who was looking for an extra pair of hands to help set up a stall at the local fayre fundraiser for the church roof, led to a chat as Jim was looking to step aside and needed a replacement, Harry jumped at chance with a motivated "yes, why not?". Harry Didn’t know much about CAFOD at the time at the time of being asked, but found out more about CAFOD after, impressed with the track record of CAFOD he said "Nothing makes me regret volunteering for CAFOD, I know it’s making a real difference to people’s lives.’"
In 2024, with the support of Jim, Harry gave his first Harvest Fast Day Appeal talk in two churches in Stubbington. Fast forward to 2026 and Harry confidently gave the Lent Fast Day Appeal talks himself this time round. Harry attended the Lent Appeal volunteer briefings to prepare himself to speak at mass and edited the appeal short talk to remind the parishioners to tick the box on the Fast Day envelope for Gift Aid which is crucial, as many were omitted last year. He also goes a step further cheerfully taking on the responsibility of counting and sending the Gift Aid forms and donations into CAFOD.
Before joining CAFOD Harry struggled to work out how to do charity meaningfully. Questions like "What do I give and who to?" called for discernment. Donating to CAFOD before he became a volunteer helped Harry to uphold that part of his faith and even more so now since becoming a Parish Volunteer.
Our faith calls us to almsgiving and I was looking for a way to do that. For some things that feels like a duty. I see this as a loving duty- it’s a loving thing to do. My faith calls me to do that. Interlocks with the real responsibilities of the position. My faith and those that organise CAFOD- it is the same faith that joins us. Acts as a tether at every level of the organisation and we all share something that is so valuable.
Organising his first Fast Day Appeal at Harvest 2024. Harry sensed "this is my responsibility now. Realising that this is up to me now- a beautiful moment. Whoever does this after me – will have the same privilege. "
" Do it! I am now encouraging others to do the same. You don’t have to think about where the money goes- they do good work and you lose nothing and you gain all by doing it."
