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Bishop Richard visited the school community at St Joseph’s Specialist Trust in Cranleigh last month, blessing a new altar designed by the Trust’s carpentry team, Lester and Michael, celebrating Mass with the assistance of altar servers Anthony, Ben, and school chaplain David, and enjoying lunch prepared by students in the Trust’s Enterprise Café - the school’s dedicated catering training facility.

St Joseph’s is an inclusive Catholic community where integrated therapy, care and education meets the needs of those with complex learning difficulties, enabling them to reach their full potential regardless of individual challenges.

Established in Dunmow, Essex in 1916 by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the school moved to its current site in Cranleigh in 1950. In 1981 the sisters gave trusteeship of the school and its community to the Diocese, with St Joseph’s becoming a registered children’s home able to offer a 52-week care to students, and an independent charity with its own Trustee board, in 2018. Speaking to students and staff during the Mass, Bishop Richard said:

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“In today’s Gospel we hear about St Joseph who was a carpenter. Your school community has a lovely new altar made by carpenters just like St Joseph, they have made something wonderful for us and we give thanks to God for their work today. Just like St Joseph looked after Mary and Jesus, he prays for us - and for everyone in this wonderful school.”

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Mass was followed by a tour of the school's carpentry workshop, pottery studio and art room, and Enterprise Café, with a lunch of soup, paninis and Victoria sponge prepared and served by pupils from the school.

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