Over four hundred people, SDB, FMA, Co-operators, Past Pupils, volunteers and friends, attended the three Salesian Family Days at Farnborough, Easterhouse and Bolton on 24th January and 7th and 8th February 2009.

On each day, after the welcome and opening prayer service, Fr John Dickson, our province historian, gave the first talk on events leading to the founding of the Salesian Congregation on December 18th 1859 and Don Bosco's struggles to express his innovative ideas in a form acceptable to both Church and State.

The second session provided an opportunity for Mr Daniel Sharp (Co-operators), Sr Pauline Clark (FMA), Fr Michael Winstanley (SDB) and Mr Peter Hunter (Past Pupils) to speak about future developments in their areas of the Salesian Family.

After lunch Fr David O'Malley led a novel creative session entitled Don Bosco's Hat. He presented a reflection on the Oratorian dimensions of Home, School, Playground and Church, and the Reason, Religion and Kindness of the Preventive System. This led to each person constructing a cardboard biretta, as worn by our founder in several of his photographs. Inside the hat were questions to spark further prayer and reflection.

At each venue there were special contributions from the local Salesian school or parish, with many young people participating through art, music, dance, or readings. Over the three days Peter Hunter raised 760 towards a Past Pupils' project to build a school in Assam, NE India.

Thanks to Br Donald MacDonald, Fr George Robson, and Mrs Carole Byrne for the photographs.