HCPT

The Sixth Form and Mrs Whittle headed off to Lourdes this Summer as volunteer helpers who cared for a group of pilgrims who were staying in the hospital at Lourdes Just as the summer holiday was starting, 16 members of our Sixth Form gathered at 5am with Mrs Whittle to head off to Lourdes to be volunteer helpers. They were going as Red Cap helpers on the Westminster Diocesan pilgrimage.

All 17 people happily gave up a week of their summer holiday in order to spend their time working hard caring for the 'malade' who were making their pilgrimage to Lourdes. For all the students it was their very first time in Lourdes, but despite this they rose to the challenge and proved themselves to be excellent at caring for the sick and elderly. Being a volunteer helper in Lourdes is very demanding work, both physically and emotionally. Pilgrim care Each summer more than a thousands people travel to Lourdes from the Archdiocese of Westminster and more than a hundred are sick or elderly.

It is the role of the Red Cap helpers to work with these people who are known in Lourdes as the malade) in order to make sure they can have a good pilgrimage. There was a heavy schedule of events each day and it is the responsibility of the Red Cap to work with the malade in their care to make sure that they get to all of the services and events which are part of the pilgrimage. From the moment out Sixth Form students and Mrs Whittle arrived at Stansted Airport they were on duty.

They formed part of the advanced group of volunteers who escorted and cared for the pilgrims who were staying in hospital in Lourdes. Every day the NBS group were busy being outstanding Red Caps. No duty was too much and they happily spent time looking after the malade. We can be very proud of the way they worked. They were putting the values and beliefs of our school into practice. Many people were impressed by the way they spent the week. They were being showered with compliments, especially from the sick and elderly who needed to be pushed in wheelchairs.

Being a Red Cap is far more than just hard work because you have the chance to discover that being in Lourdes is something wonderful. Laughter too There is something very special about being in a holy place where we make caring for others the normal way of behaving.

As well as all the hard work, our group had a great week fill of laughter and happy times. We formed part of a combined team of 41 made up of students from St Gregory's in Kenton and from the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Harlesden. We became the hardest working and most united team in Red Caps in the whole pilgrimage. During the week, we took time out to pray together and one night we went down to the Grotto to place a candle for the intentions of everyone who belongs to our school group.

Some quotes from the students:

"It was hard work but at the same time a real pleasure to help out." "Lourdes is a good spiritual place. I enjoyed my time with the maladies."

"I enjoyed giving help to the people who needed it most. It was more demanding but less awkward working with the maladies than I thought."

"I believe I have become a nicer person in Lourdes, especially after the night we went to light candles at the Grotto. It was hard work but I have met some amazing people. It has really opened my eyes."