Sharing a caring Christian culture

SIR, – What an absolute pleasure it was to open your paper today and see the ladies from St Katherine’s Club on your letters page.

The ladies who founded and then ran St Katherine’s should quite rightly be honoured for the tremendous work that the club undertook during its near-100 year history. Originally founded to provide a safe place for young women to seek refuge from the attentions of the worst of male behaviour, the club grew to seek to care for both young men and women in a caring Christian culture.

Many life-long friendships and many married lives started in the safe happy atmosphere of the club. Aberdeen at that time was not a rich city and had much poor housing and poverty but St Katherine’s shone like a beacon to bring hope and cheer. Its message was simple – every one of us has the potential to achieve great things if we are encouraged and supported during our formative years.

At a time of great divides between nations, peoples and even neighbours we must never forget the simple strength that can be gained by coming together in friendship and mutual respect, in lasting and true companionship.

It was my great privilege to serve for a few years as president of the club and see at first hand what a difference it made to so many lives. Geoffrey M Bell, Eastsyde Lane, Portlethen