Category: News

People came from far and wide to attend our Christmas Fair where there was a whole range of high quality craft and food, games, wreath making and even an appearance from the man himself!

To celebrate Thanksgiving we have an annual ‘Pumpkins and Pies’ dinner catered by our own Root Soup.

We have discos every month but this one was particularly special as we had expert face painting by Nicola Doole. Spooks a plenty!

Hi! I’m May!

So much has been going on, I can’t remember it all!

I started working in the office on Tuesday afternoons with Naomi. We plan events, count money, make posters, send emails, make calls, and stuff like that. I love it.

I’ve been to Canary Islands, Kilkenny, and Amsterdam on holiday in the past year. We went to visit a past assistant (Luisa) in Tenerife, had a great time, went to the beach!

Cross links is a youth group that I used to do it was on Monday nights and it’s finished now. I feel sad about that.

Life in the Ember is great, I like the other core members and the assistants.  It’s Easter, we’re having some parties.

What is your name?  Thomas 

Where do you live?  Hearth.  L’Arche Belfast.  

How long have you lived at L’Arche?  A really long time [12 years].

What do you like to do?  Walking, and run, and have time on my own.  

What do you do during the week?  Go to centre, see people.  Go home.  Go on a wee walk, go to the Ember sometimes [L’Arche Belfast’s first home].  

What is your week like?   [On Sundays] go on a run at Mary Peters Track if it’s a nice day.  Go to church; sometimes I go to church and sometimes I don’t.  

What about the rest of your week?  [Saturday’s] go to work at Common Grounds.  

Do you like to work?  I do.  Spend time with nice people.  Very busy in the front [of the cafe].

Do you like living at L’Arche? I do.

What do you like about it?  Nice persons.  Spending time with my family.  

Is L’Arche your family? Yes.  Two houses [the Ember and the Hearth].

Hello and welcome to the L’Arche Belfast Community’s blog, which we are launching along with our new website. We have experienced a lot of growth in the past two years, as we have expanded our work projects, opened another house, “The Hearth”, on the Ormeau Road, and welcomed more members into our midst.  Our website is a reflection of this growth, and it will provide visitors with a better idea of what L’Arche Belfast is, and what it means to be part of a L’Arche community.

It is my hope that this blog will become the storybook of the Community, a place where anyone who is part of L’Arche Belfast can share their stories, photos, and experiences.  As we move together through the many joys and challenges of living life together, it is the stories and shared experiences which unite us (and provide us with endless entertainment).  So, L’Arche Belfast — I hand this blog over to you, and look forward to seeing the many chapters that follow.

–Scott