Introducing AMASC

An important aspect of our internationality is AMASC, the world-wide organisation of ex-pupils of Sacred Heart Schools and Colleges, founded in the 1960s. For more information about the purpose, spirit and aims of AMASC please go to

http://www.amasc-sacrecoeur.org/english/profile.html

Young AMASC.

Much more information about how younger ex-pupils are continuing the spirit of AMASC is to be found on that section of the amasc website.

http://www.amasc-sacrecoeur.org/english/youthlinks.html

http://www.amasc-sacrecoeur.org/english/worldyouthday.html

AMASC in the English/Welsh Province

AMASC (formerly NASHE) in the English/Welsh Province was started soon after Reverend Mother de Valon asked for an International Association of Sacred Heart Alumni in 1960 to help the Society spread the love of the Sacred Heart according to the teachings of St. Madeleine Sophie. Reverend Mother de Valon felt that the alumni could be the hands and feet of the Society in the world. Mary Don, who was an alumna of Roehampton, was the first National President.Now some forty years later the world and the Society have changed enormously but the aims of AMASC remain the same, although the emphasis is different as the Religious are continuing their work of education within local communities and not justthrough the more traditional ideas of education in school contexts.

Membership to the national organization is open to all Sacred Heart alumnae/i living in England and Wales. At present our membership includes Australians, New Zealanders, Poles, Irish, Austrians, Japanese as well as alumnae from our own Schools (and ex-schools) in England. In our national association the age of the members tends to be from the older generations who have been in the schools as they were in the past.

One of the aims of AMASC is to provide a network of friendship and support and this is very much what we are doing at present in the national association. We have several informal luncheons a year, an outing, an AGM and cocktail party and a more formal Autumn Lunch. In the last few years our outings have been to Oxford (to meet the students and community at Norham Gardens and be shown round Oxford), the House of Lords, the Royal Courts of Justice and this year we are visiting Clarence House. This is appreciated by the older alumnae who must not be forgotten in our desire to change.

The projects we support were identified by the world AMASC Administrative Office with Sister Clare Pratt (the Superior General when this Administration took over) and are: firstly to offer financial support to the rscj working in the Kibera slums outside Nairobi and secondly to raise funds for essential repairs to Paso Carasco a Sacred Heart School outside Montevideo. The support given for Kibera is in the form of helping set up micro-industries which will be income generating to help with schooling and essential school materials (whether towards buildings, equipment and/or pupils in need.) The three micro-industries currently are mushroomgrowing, candle making and sewing of school uniforms.

We have an annual collection and raffle at the AGM, receive donations and recently an alumna (from Tunbridge Wells) involved her parish church (St. Gertrudes, Sanderstead, Surrey) who raised a generous sum of money at one Sundays services and included our project in their bidding prayers. Woldingham School has also been very generous with fundraising.

Most years there is a European Presidents Meeting (in 2007 it was held at Woldingham) to which young alumnae are invited. In 2005 it was in Poznan, Poland and Mary Dons granddaughter, Florence who is not an alumna but whose mother was at Woldingham, represented the young in England. She has been a huge asset to the young alumnae in England and Europe. She has visited Woldingham and Tunbridge Wells sixth forms and promoted the international network. She also started the international data base for the young AMASC.

As a result of her efforts an alumna from Woldingham (Emily) went out with an alumna from The Netherlands two years ago to help at the Sacred Heart School in Patna, India during their gap year. In the same year a young alumna (from Fenham) went to Cairo to help with the summer camp.

http://www.amasc-sacrecoeur.org/english/docs/Report_India_Emily.pdf

Patna, (India), the summer camp in Cairo and now, through our link with SOS Malta, Sri Lanka are possible locations for volunteering. The young AMASC volunteering co-ordinator from The Netherlands went out to India to see for herself what was expected and developed the terms and conditions for our volunteering opportunities.

On a personal note I have greatly enjoyed being national President. It has allowed me to go to the European Presidents Meetings (Rome, Poznan, Barcelona, Woldingham) and I have met and made friends with so many wonderful women who have all received the same education and are working towards the same goals.

When Europe was voted to take over the mandate of administering AMASC in New York in 2006 I was also elected as Secretary General of the International Association. It has been a lot of work but very worth while and I am constantly amazed and full of admiration for what the alumnae are achieving in their countries. 35 countries belong to AMASC with some 18,300 individual members.

For more information on any of these matters please visit the AMASC website

www.amasc-sacrecoeur.org or contact .