Mini Vinnies 2025-26
Mini Vinnies is a group for primary school students who want to make a difference in their school, parish, and local community. It is part of the St Vincent de Paul Society (often called the SVP), a Catholic lay organisation dedicated to helping people in need.
Mini Vinnies gives young people the chance to live out their faith through action, friendship, and service.
Who Are Mini Vinnies?
Mini Vinnies are primary school pupils who choose to follow the example of St Vincent de Paul by caring for others.
They are:
• Kind and compassionate
• Willing to help those in need
• Ready to take action to make their community better
• Inspired by faith and a desire to serve
Members meet regularly to pray, talk about issues in their community and plan activities that help others. Mini Vinnies at St Robert Southwell are supported by Miss Lay, Assistant Headteacher for Religious Education and Catholic Life.
What Do They Do?
Mini Vinnies turn their ideas into action. They:
• Organise fundraising events for charities
• Collect food, clothes, or essential items for local families
• Lead awareness campaigns about poverty and injustice
• Support school and parish events
• Pray together for those who need help
Through these activities, they learn leadership skills, teamwork, and responsibility while helping others in practical ways.
Who Are They Inspired By?
Mini Vinnies are inspired by:
St Vincent de Paul
A French priest who dedicated his life to serving people who were poor and vulnerable. He believed in showing love through action.
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
One of the founders of the St Vincent de Paul Society. As a young student, he wanted to put his faith into practice by helping those in need.
The Gospel Values
Mini Vinnies follow the example of Jesus by showing compassion, kindness, and respect to everyone.
Our Mission
Mini Vinnies aim to “see, think, and do”:
See where people need hel
Think about how they can respond
Do something practical to make a difference
By working together, Mini Vinnies show that even small actions can make a big impact.
The Mini Vinnies were commission by Father Stewart during a special Mass on the 6th January 2026.
During the Mini Vinnies first meeting, they discussed the different roles of the leadership team and then led a vote. Here are our leadership team:
During Spring Term 2, the Mini Vinnies assisted with donations for the Trussell Trust Food Bank in Colindale
Our Mini Vinnie group has been living out their mission to See, Think, Do by supporting the Trussell Trust Foodbank in Colindale. The children helped to sort and organise donated food items before carefully loading them into the van so they could be ready for families in need. By seeing the needs of others, thinking about how they could help, and taking action, our Mini Vinnies showed kindness, teamwork and a real commitment to making a difference in their community.
During Spring Term 1, the Mini Vinnies also set up their first initiative – a prayer intention box!
Our Mini Vinnies have created a special Prayer Intention Box where members of our school community can share their prayers and worries. Inspired by their mission to See, Think, Do, the children recognised that sometimes people need spiritual support as well as practical help. By inviting others to place their intentions in the box, our Mini Vinnies are encouraging everyone to pause, reflect and pray for one another, helping to build a caring and supportive school community.
