Reach out if you need help and don’t suffer in silence

As Christmas 2025 draws closer, one of the key figures in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) in Inishowen has again called for those in need to reach out for help. Cllr. Fionan Bradley, President of the SVP St. Oran’s Conference in Buncrana, has a simple message for anyone experiencing financial hardship – “Get in touch – if we don’t know you are struggling, we can’t help.”

Mr Bradley is calling on people not to “suffer in silence” and to come seek support. “I'm very mindful that the country's doing very well with full employment and all the rest of it, but there's that perception that everybody's doing well. There's always going to be somebody that's going to need a wee hand, a wee pull out, or that's going to have a bad patch or that's just going to need that extra leg up.”

As the largest charity of social concern in Ireland, SVP works to provide practical assistance to those experiencing financial hardship and strives to address the root causes of poverty through their policy and advocacy work. 

The Buncrana man is urging everyone who requires assistance to come forward, as some people feel too embarrassed to ask for help. “We all have pride, and it is often pride that prevents people from accessing life-changing assistance.”

“We would find maybe at the minute that people are even more hesitant than normal to come forward and to be seen to be getting help from the likes of SVP, because the perception is out there that the country is doing well and therefore so should everybody.”

Fionan’s advice is simple – don’t suffer in silence: “Don’t go hungry or cold. There is help available – avail of it. SVP can only help when people present themselves to us.”

In recent years, SVP has seen a massive rush in the days before Christmas for support. This is putting extra stress on families because “everyone is worried and has struggled maybe throughout December, and then finally decided to come for help, and then they have to panic about whether to buy clothes, toys, or whatever for children. If they came to us earlier, it would be more relaxed and less stressful for everybody,” Fionan Bradley added.

People are sometimes referred to SVP by third-parties, but it’s a tricky area due to GDPR and privacy issues. Fionan says it’s better if people get in touch directly. There’s no judgement, no interview process, no red tape. SVPs are open to providing whatever help is required in each case, but as Fionan points out, families with children are top of the SVP’s priority list. “We try to ensure no child goes hungry. Our priorities are the two ‘F’s – food and fuel. 

The SVP’s policy is to provide vouchers for local supermarkets and the provision of fuel and coal to heat a house. Assistance with medical issues is also an issue that arises.”

Fionan says the first point of contact for anyone reading this article who might wish to access SVP assistance between now and Christmas – or indeed at any time – is to ring the SVP Regional Office in Raphoe. The contact number is 074 91 73933. Vincent Raphoe will direct Inishowen folk to the most relevant SVP personnel in their immediate area.

Confidentiality is assured. SVP volunteers visit the home of those seeking help in a bid to identify the exact need and get a fuller picture of the issue. When that mandatory visit is completed, the practical assistance of the largest charity of social concern in Ireland is brought to bear on the situation – inevitably with positive outcomes.

READ NEXT: Moville Men’s Shed donates more than €1,000 to Trocaire to help kids in Gaza

For SVP volunteers like Fionan Bradley, the reward is seeing the comfort their assistance brings to families. “It’s brilliant,” says the Buncrana man, “It’s so frustrating when you hear, retrospectively, that someone was struggling and never asked for help. If you could see the sense of relief on the faces of those we help, no one would hesitate to get in touch with SVP.”