Hearts at Work

Stories of Love and Service from Our Mini Vinnies

Meet the Mini Vinnies of St Philip’s, Middleton

We’re delighted to introduce the Mini Vinnies from St Philip’s Catholic Primary & Nursery School in Middleton, Leeds! This inspiring group of children stepped forward in September to volunteer their time and hearts to help others — and according to their teacher, they’ll be Mini Vinnies for life!

Driven by a desire to serve through both prayer and action, these young change-makers are already making a difference. On 12 March, they visited the St Vincent’s Centre in Leeds to learn more about the vital support it offers to the local community.

It’s truly uplifting to see such enthusiasm and compassion from the Mini Vinnies of St Philip’s — a shining example of faith in action.

Supporting Young Vincentians in Faith and Service

Great news from our Young Vincentians Development Officers (YVDOs), Warren and Kath! The led their first joint Commissioning Assembly at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Dunstable at the beginning of March — a wonderful occasion filled with faith, enthusiasm, and community spirit. They then continued their mission the following week at St Vincent’s in Houghton Regis. A big thank you to all our YVDOs for the all the support they offer our schools and parishes.

This is an image of the Mini Vinnie handprints and Kath and Warren.

Shining Examples of Faith and Service in Shropshire

We were delighted to hear from one of our Young Vincentians Development Officers (YVDOs) in Shropshire, Bernadette, who shared the inspiring efforts of Mini Vinnies groups across the county.

At St Winefride’s Independent School in Shrewsbury, pupils rolled up their sleeves to support The Little Stars Charity. With great care and enthusiasm, they helped sort baby clothes and essential items for families in need — a beautiful example of compassion in action. Our YVDO had the privilege of accompanying the children and witnessing their kindness firsthand.

Meanwhile, the Mini Vinnies at St Luke’s Catholic Primary School in Trench put their energy into a delicious initiative — they made and sold pancakes, raising funds for both the SVP and The Hospice. Their thoughtful choice to split the proceeds between two worthy causes shows a real understanding of community and generosity.

These acts of service, big and small, show how young hearts can make a meaningful difference. Well done to all the Mini Vinnies bringing love, hope, and joy to others in their local communities!

Easter Cheer and Charity from the Mini Vinnies

Creativity and compassion came together beautifully during recent Mini Vinnies sessions at St Joseph's, Seaham, where a group of enthusiastic children put their talents to good use — all in the spirit of giving.

The children lovingly crafted a range of delightful Easter-themed items, including chicks, lambs, and bunnies, and sold them after Sunday Mass. Their joyful efforts raised an impressive £53, showing that small hands can make a big difference!

Not only did they enjoy the creative process, but it was a wonderful example of faith in action and seeing the joy of giving — well done to all involved!

This is an image of some tulips in front of a cross

St Anne’s School Answers the Call with Easter Egg Appeal

In response to a heartfelt appeal from St Vincent’s Centre in Brixton, St Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Vauxhall stepped up to bring Easter joy to local families. The school community rallied together to collect and deliver an impressive total of 75 Easter eggs.

These sweet gifts will help brighten the celebrations of families supported by the centre, showing the power of kindness and community spirit in action. St Anne’s commitment highlights how even small acts can make a big difference during the Easter season.

St Margaret’s Mini Vinnies Keep Luton Tidy

On Friday 28th March the St Margaret of Scotland Mini Vinnies took part in the ‘Keep Luton Tidy’ initiative. Along with all the other schools in the area, our fantastic Mini Vinnies took time out of their busy day to collect litter and make our local community a cleaner and tidier place. All the local residents they met were so happy to see the children making such a positive contribution to their local community. Well done to all the Mini Vinnies!

this is an image of the children taking part in the Luton tidy

This is an image of the children in their hi vis jackets for litter picking

The Mini Vinnies at St Margaret's also sent Candles of Hope to our local hospice – Keech. We hope that our messages of hope will cheer them up during their difficult times. God bless everyone at Keech.

From Ellie-J (Year 6)

This is a picture of the children's candles of hope

This is an image of the children's candles of hope

Mini Vinnies Move Hearts and Hands at Bourne View

The Mini-Vinnies at St. Joseph's Poole continue to support the local elderly community and the intergenerational project. In March, the children, proudly wearing their MV T-shirts, supported another armchair exercise session with the residents of Bourne View. With the very kind donation of percussion instruments from Caritas, they were all engaged in providing an engaging hour of fun, all wrapped up with a quiz focusing on the importance of liquid re-hydration! Fantasic work, Mini Vinnies!

A Year of Kindness and Action at St Teresa’s

The Mini Vinnies at St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Stoke-on-Trent have been busy living out their mission of faith, service, and compassion throughout the academic year.

From organising a raffle, cake sale, and pancake sale to spreading festive cheer by visiting a care home to distribute Christmas cards, these young volunteers have shown incredible dedication to helping others.

Their hard work and generosity have made a real difference — raising a fantastic £167 for the SVP. A heartfelt thank you and well done to the Mini Vinnies of St Teresa’s for their inspiring commitment to putting faith into action all year round!

This is a picture of the Mini Vinnies doing a cake sale.

This is a picture of the Mini Vinnies with their raffle prizes