Application Form 2015
Led by Archbishop Peter Smith
Please send completed forms to:
Lourdes Pilgrimage Office, The Bothy,
Cowfold Road, COOLHAM, RH13 8QL
Tel: 01403 740110 | Email: [email protected] | www.ablourdes.org
PHOTOGRAPHS BY LACAZE
Arundel and Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage Limited. registered in England Number 2998831
The Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage Trust is a Registered Charity Number 1039851
DIOCESE OF ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON LOURDES PILGRIMAGE
31 July - 6 August 2015 (by Air) or 30 July - 7 August (by Coach) or 29 July - 7 August (Redshirts)
THE COST FOR THE PILGRIMAGE IS £675 (Redshirts £730)
This includes full board accommodation, travel, coach transfers in France, group insurance, pilgrimage handbook and badge.
Discounts are available for Helpers and Nurses only as follows:
•
Those who return application forms by 31st March 2015: £25
•
Those who are unemployed or in full time education: £60.
So, for the avoidance of doubt, a helper applying before 31st March pays £650, and a student/unemployed helper applying
before 31st March pays £590
Reductions are available for children up to the age of 12 - please contact the Pilgrimage Office for further information.
PILGRIMAGE ORGANISED TRAVEL
SNCF has discontinued the overnight couchette train, and the Core Team have concluded that the TGV alternative presents too
many challenges for those who we help to get to Lourdes. It has therefore been decided that we will travel by a number of different
air routes from Heathrow or Gatwick, and in some cases by coach.
If you are not travelling independently, we ask that you indicate your preference on the application form by ticking the
relevant boxes to travel either by Aeroplane, Coach or Either.
When indicating your preference, you will need to take note of the following points:
•
•
Priority for the flights will be given to Assisted Pilgrims, those that are able to help them and clergy.
Priority for the coaches will be given to the young and those who are out of work. There will be an additional £50 discount offered to
Helpers who are selected to travel to Lourdes by coach. Please note that the coaches will leave the UK on the 30th July 2015 (29th July
2015 for Redshirts) and will return to the UK on the 7th August 2015. There will be some coach pick-up points around the Diocese.
•
The Pilgrimage cannot guarantee to give you your preference, and you may find that despite selecting one option you will be
asked to travel by the other option to Lourdes. If you are chosen to fly on a Pilgrimage Organised flights, you will have to make
your own way to/from either Heathrow or Gatwick airport.
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
THE COST FOR THOSE FLYING INDEPENDENTLY TO TOULOUSE AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PILGRIMAGE COACH
TRANSFER TO LOURDES IS £525
This includes full board accommodation, transfers to/from Lourdes, group insurance, pilgrimage handbook and badge.
Please advise us that you intend to travel to Lourdes this way, before you book the flight, as there will be limited space on the
coaches, and we would not wish you to be disappointed with regard to your transfer arrangements. Coach transfers to/from
Lourdes will be provided for the following flight only:
Easyjet: Depart Gatwick Friday 31 July at 0820 Flight no. EZY5333
Depart Toulouse Thursday 6 August at 1815 Flight no. EZY5338
THE COST FOR THOSE TRAVELLING TO LOURDES BY OTHER MEANS (e.g. TGV, OTHER FLIGHTS etc) IS £485
This includes full board accommodation, group insurance, pilgrimage handbook and badge.
You need to indicate the date and time that you will be arriving in Lourdes - we ask that you arrange to arrive on 31st July by
2.30pm and depart on Thursday 6th August after lunch.
If you will be arriving earlier and need to stay an extra night in the hotel you need to notify us immediately so that we can inform you
where you will be staying whilst in Lourdes. Please do not assume you will be in the same hotel you have stayed in the past. You will
need to book and pay the hotel directly for any extra nights required.
APPLICATION FORM
Your application will not be accepted without a recent photograph of yourself (this is to comply with our new Safeguarding and Emergency
Policies) and all relevant sections of the form being completed. Your completed form should be sent together with a non-refundable
deposit of £50 per person to The Pilgrimage Office, The Bothy, Cowfold Road, Coolham, RH13 8QL. Cheques should be made payable
to “A&B Lourdes Pilgrimage Ltd”. Please note that discounts, as detailed above, are only available to Helpers and Nurses.
The final balance must be paid by 31st May 2015 (unless a payment plan has been agreed). Should you wish to pay by bank transfer
please contact the Pilgrimage office for details 01403 740110.
If you wish to pay the balance by instalments, having agreed a payment plan, a standing order form will be sent to you to complete
and send to your bank.
Hospitalité (Helper): Helpers are volunteers who offer their service to others on the pilgrimage in a spirit of love and generosity. You
will be expected to help our Assisted Pilgrims, as part of a team, either in a Hotel group or in the Accueil. The service is varied and can
be demanding both physically and emotionally. Because of the nature of the service, helpers must be fit and willing to participate fully
with reverence, respect, generosity and consideration in all areas as detailed in the “Role of the Helper” (see back page).
Before completing the application form, all prospective Helpers must read the "Pilgrimage Vision" (available on our website:
www.ablourdes.org/content/vision), The Role of the Hospitalité.
In line with the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy, ALL HELPERS on the pilgrimage require DBS Disclosure (formerly known as CRB). You
will be sent the appropriate documentation if you do not already have an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate or if it needs to be renewed.
Doctor or Nurse: Only Doctors and Nurses who are actively working in the UK and fully registered are able to join us in this capacity
during our week away. Retired and other Healthcare professionals have skills that can help us whilst in Lourdes, so if you are retired,
please feel free to contact Dr Jane Pateman and Dr Francis Nicholls, our Chief Medical officers (CMO) at [email protected]
Clergy/Religious: Not all clergy, deacons or religious wish to be a chaplain in Lourdes. If this is the case for you, please indicate on
your application form.
Pilgrim: Pilgrims who are totally independent and do not need any assistance at home, or more specifically in Lourdes.
Assisted Pilgrim: Pilgrims requiring any level of medical, nursing or carer assistance. This includes any pilgrim who may need the
use of a wheelchair whilst in Lourdes. Walking around Lourdes can be very tiring, especially in the July/August heat. There can also
be long periods standing during processions and other liturgical ceremonies. Some pilgrims, therefore, although not receiving
medical treatment, may need the use of a wheelchair in Lourdes. Medical Forms will be sent to Assisted Pilgrims at the discretion
of the CMO. The organisers accept no liability for any sick or disabled person who has not informed the Pilgrimage of their
medical or mobility needs.
Any pilgrim, who has been requested to fill in a Medical Form and give full access to their GP and other Medical Professionals managing
their care needs by the CMO, and refuses to do so, sadly cannot be accepted on our Pilgrimage.
PREPARATION DAYS
NEW HELPERS DAY (not Redshirts)
All first time Helpers (Hospitalité) must attend the New Helpers Day on Sunday 28th June 2015 at St Wilfrid's School, Old Horsham
Road, Crawley RH11 8PG from 10am to 4pm.
DIOCESAN GOLDEN JUBILEE
The celebration of the Diocesan's Golden Jubilee will be held on Sunday 5th July at The Amex Stadium, Falmer, Brighton from
10am to 4pm. We have been asked by the Diocese to assist the disabled at this celebration in our Hospitalité uniforms. It would
be helpful if you could indicate your willingness to help in this way.
PILGRIM'S PREPARATION DAY (not Redshirts)
All first time pilgrims and assisted pilgrims are invited to attend on Saturday 13th June at DABCEC, 4 Southgate Drive, Crawley
RH10 6RP from 10am and finishing with Mass at around 3pm. It will be a time of reflection and prayer with an introduction to this
year's theme "Lourdes, the joy of mission". You will have a chance to meet others, explore the meaning of pilgrimage and prepare
for our week in Lourdes.
BRIEFING DAY (not Redshirts)
All Helpers (Hospitalité) must attend this important preparation day on Sunday 26th July at St Wilfrid's School, Old Horsham Road,
Crawley RH11 8PG from 11am to 5pm.
INSURANCE: All pilgrims up to the age of 90 years old are included in a group policy held by the Pilgrimage Trust. The cost is
included in the quoted price. Increased policy excesses apply to pilgrims aged over 90 and/or for pre-existing medical conditions.
Pilgrims with pre-existing health conditions need confirmation from their GP of fitness to travel. A Summary of cover can be sent
to you on request or downloaded from our website www.ablourdes.org and the full Insurance Policy will be sent with the
confirmation of booking.
Independent travellers are covered for the duration of the pilgrimage from 30th July to 7th August 2015. Separate cover should
be arranged for those travelling outside of this period. Mobile phones, musical instruments, computers and loss of unattended
personal possessions are specifically excluded.
ALL PILGRIMS need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which will be required in the event of a pilgrim needing medical
attention in Lourdes. The EHIC (which is free of charge) can be obtained online at www.ehic.org.uk or phone 0845 605 6707.
PASSPORTS/VISAS: If you are a non British/EU citizen you may need a visa and possibly specific permission to re-enter
the UK. Please check with your embassy and the French embassy to be sure about what you need. It is your responsibility to
ensure you have valid travel documents.
HEALTH & SAFETY: The Trust has a Health & Safety Policy. All pilgrims are expected to follow any health and safety procedures
laid down by the organisation and behave in a responsible manner for their own welfare and the welfare of others. A copy of the
policy is available from the Pilgrimage Office on request.
TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS: Complete travel details and final pilgrimage instructions will be sent to each pilgrim approximately two
weeks before the day of departure. These will only be sent if full payment has been received or a payment plan is in place.
(Please contact the Pilgrimage Office for more details)
The Trust reserves the right to alter any of the fares contained in this brochure at any time, even if the deposit has been
paid, should circumstances warrant such an alteration.
DATA PROTECTION ACT: Under the Data Protection Act personal information from the booking form will be registered on a
computerised database for processing applications.
Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes –
Role of the Helper (Hospitalité)
Helpers are volunteers who offer their service to others on pilgrimage in a spirit of love and generosity.
The service is varied and can be demanding both physically and emotionally. Because of the nature
of the service, helpers must be fit and be willing to participate fully with reverence,
respect, generosity and consideration in all of the following ways.
On a spiritual journey…
…give personal care…
With reverence, a helper is ready to:
With respect, a helper may be asked to:
• Pray together with other pilgrims.
• Go to the Grotto and services together,
including daily Mass, and take part in
Processions.
• Share the life and liturgy of the Pilgrimage
with others.
• Be patient, welcoming and humble.
• Take time to experience your own pilgrimage.
• Be ready, willing and able to fulfil whatever
task is needed.
• Assist pilgrims on the journey to and
from Lourdes.
• Assist with mobility, eg by helping a sick or
disabled pilgrim into or out of bed or from a
chair to a wheelchair.
• Share a hotel room with a sick or disabled person.
• Assist with washing, dressing and other
personal needs.
• Assist at mealtimes.
• Ensure that pilgrims’ needs are met eg. with
water, shade and rest.
…and friendship…
…in a thoughtful way
With generosity, a helper will:
With consideration, a helper will:
• Listen to and chat with pilgrims, and be
a companion.
• Be present at mealtimes and sit with different
pilgrims.
• Take pilgrims shopping and to places of interest
in Lourdes; this may involve pushing someone
in a wheelchair up and down steep hills.
• Go to a café together.
• Spend time together.
• Be of service to those in need.
• Be respectful and sensitive to the needs of others.
• Put the needs of the sick or disabled person,
the Pilgrimage and other pilgrims first.
• Adhere to the Pilgrimage Code of Conduct and
to the Health & Safety Guidelines.
• Exercise self-control, only consume alcohol in
moderation, sleep well and be fit for the role
each day.
• FIRST TIME HELPERS MUST attend the Induction Day at St Wilfrid’s School, Old Horsham Road, Crawley on
Sunday 28th June 2015 from 10am to 4pm
• THE DIOCESAN'S GOLDEN JUBILEE: The celebration of the Diocesan’s Golden Jubilee will be held on
Sunday 5th July at the Amex Stadium, Falmer, Brighton.
• ALL HELPERS MUST attend a Briefing Day at St Wilfrid’s School on Sunday 26th July 2015 from 11am to 5pm
• Helpers must be between 17 and 75 years of age by 31st August 2015
You will be given support throughout your pilgrimage – you should never feel alone,
since you will be surrounded by people who will be more than willing to help and guide you.