Diocese of Motherwell

The first Conference was established at St. Margaret’s, Airdrie on 30/07/1854, and a further 8 Conferences were formed by 1890.

There were 18 Conferences formed between 1900 and 1935, and another 10 Conferences formed between 1940 and1949. A further 17 Conferences were formed between 1950 and 1959, and between 1960 and 1976 a further 17 Conferences were formed. The last Conference to be formed was St. John Ogilvie in Blantyre in 1980.

A Legacy of £97,000 was left to Motherwell SSVP for the Poor of the Diocese.

This Legacy helped the Society to purchase 3 Caravans at Port Seton, outside Edinburgh, and to purchase Vans for the Furniture Project, which has been going over 25 years.

Jim Lynch started the Ozanam Clubs, with the first club opening in Viewpark in May 1989, and this was followed by Hamilton in 1991, Carfin in 1992. Airdrie Club was opened in 1993 but closed in 2000. East Kilbride was opened in 1994 but closed in 2001, and Lanark opened in 1995. These Clubs do great work with Adults and Children with Special needs, in addition to providing a welcome respite for their family/carers, when the Clubs are in session.