Springwood members share a century of memories

Cliff Smith, Margaret Smith and Martin Clarke have seen plenty and given back even more as members of the St Vincent de Paul Society. 

Belonging to Springwood’s St Thomas Aquinas Conference, based in the Blue Mountains, the trio have contributed more than 140 years of service – an impressive feat for a Conference that first formed in 1938. 

As the veteran of the group, Cliff’s introduction to the Society came towards the end of the 1950s with a tap on the shoulder from a mate inviting him to come along to a meeting after work. 

Cliff recalls members of the Windsor Conference pairing up under the cover of darkness in those days, “I was told to be careful of Alsatians,” offering support as far as Wiseman’s Ferry, Riverstone and Richmond. The Scheyville Migrant camp also became a regular site for visitations as members helped migrants from Baltic states acclimatise to their new lives in Australia.  

Cliff met Margaret through the local Catholic Youth Organisation and after marrying in 1967 transferred to the Richmond Conference before settling in Springwood at the turn of the 1980s.  

Margaret’s initial involvement with the Society was as a shop volunteer and eventually joined an evening Conference in the early 1990s. Martin’s start came in 1980 responding to a parish survey, “I ticked the box for St Vincent de Paul and next Tuesday there are two men on my doorstep! I was invited to the following meeting and that was the way it went.” 

Holding a shared purpose in living the gospel values and following the Vincentian tradition, the trio have stepped up in times of crisis including the bushfires that swept through the region in 2013. 

Currently operating out of the local Catholic Care offices, demand for assistance has grown among single people, pensioners, renters and those in need of more frequent support.

“Some weeks might be four or five, other weeks up to 16. They might find it really difficult to come in, but then the second time they come in and say, ‘that was fine’, because they felt welcomed and not judged,” says Margaret.

Christmas has traditionally been a busy time for members in Springwood. 

Local schools support the Conference to distribute hampers, while one of Margaret’s fondest memories of the festive season came while working in the Vinnies Shop in the 1990s where she received a call from the Masonic Lodge with an offer of 500 dressed chickens. 

“I thought sometimes you're offered a problem and if you can manage, then some beautiful things can come out of that.”

Hiring a refrigerated truck to make deliveries up and down the mountains, the relationship continued for many years including one year where tables were lined with fresh fruit and vegetables for people to come in and collect. 

“The beauty of that was people took what they could use, nobody over stacked their bags – it was the most beautiful day,” says Margaret. 

The faces of people seeking assistance may have changed over the years, but a common sense of fulfillment is shared by Cliff, Margaret and Martin at being able to make an enduring difference in people's lives. 

“One of the things that keeps us going is seeing children of a family that you have supported grow up and become successful.”

“We might not see them in-person, but you see a notice in the paper or you hear from somebody about how well the kids are, whether somebody's graduated uni or mum's got a permanent job and it's lovely.” 

“I just think that St Vincent de Paul was the best thing that ever happened to the world! It reaches far and wide and the more you're involved with it, the more you realise how enormous it is,” says Margaret. 

Cliff, Margaret and Martin make a difference as members of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW in their community every day. Learn more about how you can make an impact in yours by becoming a member today.