Diocese of Derry

Award Top-Ups are given in recognition of the extra activities that young people are already involved in. Top-Ups will go towards the total number of hours an individual has to complete.

Top-Ups can be achieved in a number of ways, for example - helping with the sick pilgrims at Lourdes or working on behalf of Children in Crossfire. These activities will gain participants Award Top-Ups:
Papal Cross: 7.5 hours
Gold: 6 hours
Silver: 4.5 hours
Bronze: 3 hours

There may be other activities that you are involved in that are not included here but may be relevant, if so please contact the Pope John Paul II Award Committee for approval.

Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Each year about 600 people from the Derry Diocese travel to Lourdes between the 16th-21st July. About 80 of the people who travel are registered as sick. These people need special care while in Lourdes. Volunteers are always needed to give them that care. It may be pushing their wheelchair or just accompanying them. Working in Lourdes with the diocesan pilgrimage can be part of this Award.

Humanitarian Trips
Trips lasting 4 days or more to work on specific projects, such as orphanages in Romania or home building in Africa.

Children in Crossfire
Organise a Children in Crossfire week in your school or parish. This can be organised by an individual or a group (no more than 5).

There are 3 elements required:

• At least one fundraising event during the week
• Organise a talk or display focusing on an issue in the developing world
• Cross Community - organise a talk or display focusing on some aspect of 'another' community within our society, e.g. another faith community, minority community or ethnic community.

Other Suggestions
Active membership of Youth Initiatives such as Search, COR, Youth 2000 and the IOSAS's youth community over the year. Joining 'REJOICE' the diocesan youth choir for the year.