Background
Bernadette has been involved with Barka UK since 2007. Bernadette is a certified accountant, and her expertise has been invaluable.
This is her story on how she became involved with Barka UK.
‘I am an Irish national from County Kilkenny. Most of my working life was spent as an accountant in London. During my spare time, I enjoyed chatting with people who were homeless as I helped with Soup Runs from the Jesuit Church in Stamford Hill, and with the preparation of meals for the Homeless at the Catholic Church in Stoke Newington.
Later, through the work of St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, I was privileged to accompany some wonderful families who struggled stoically with disabilities and addictions.
I also helped with Catechesis, and obtained a degree in Pastoral Theology with a view to being a better Catchiest, but that led to a change of career from a 9 to 5 job as an accountant in London to a 24/7 Hospital Chaplain in Hertfordshire.
About this time, following a pilgrimage to Poland and a number of religiously inspired experiences, I heard of this Polish Charity which was invited to London by the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to provide help with the many East Europeans who came looking for work, but ended up homeless on the streets.
I had a house, and this Charity needed one, and there began my association with Barka.’
