What do volunteer helpers do?

As a volunteer you will be expected to do whatever is required to ensure that the children have a wonderful fun filled week. As a helper in a Group your role will be to help in any way required. This can be cleaning and feeding, playing, leading a sing-song, or anything else the Group (or children) ask of you! You will work as part of a Group and, as a new helper, can rely on the support of more experienced helpers and the Group Leader.

You will be expected to attend a Regional Preparation Day, as well as a number of Group meetings. Meeting with the families of the children who are coming to Lourdes with the Group is a vital part of helper preparation.

Each Group designs its own programme of events and activities but a few things are common to all Groups:

• Torchlight procession: This is a wonderfully visual and emotional event. All the pilgrims in Lourdes are invited to come together for a torchlight procession, singing along. On Tuesday night, when HCPT lead the procession, there is a great sing-along at the end.
• Thursday morning - the Trust Mass. All 5000+ members of HCPT and its associated groups, come together in the Underground Basilica. For many this is the highlight of the week.

Apart from these events, each Group will be visiting many of the locations in Lourdes which are relevant to the life of Ste Bernadette - the house where she grew up, the 'Cachot', and some of the many museums in the town.

Most Groups have an excursion day out. A traditional and still popular destination is Gavarnie, high up in the Pyrenees. This is a spectacular venue where some days Groups make snowmen and other days it's shorts and t-shirts!