Our association with the Sisters of the Holy Family goes back a long way - since they first came to Livingston over 25 years ago. We have found the Sisters very prayerful, as well as being kind and caring people: we feel honoured to have been associated with them.

Hugh and I joined the Holy Family Lay Associates shortly after a group was formed in St Peter's Parish in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. At the invitation of one of the Sisters, we attended an evening of prayer organised by the Holy Family Lay Associates for the people of the parish. It was a beautiful service. We were really overawed by the spiritual content of the meeting and the sense of family we experienced. We made enquires about the Lay Associates and the possibility of attending meetings, in order to learn more and, perhaps, consider becoming members.

We have a very strong group of Lay Associates in St Peter's Parish. Originally the meetings were conducted by one of the Sisters. We both enjoyed our meetings, and we were also very involved in raising funds for many charities as well as for the Holy Family missions, especially in poorer countries. Sadly, due to other commitments, the Sisters had to withdraw from the parish. However, one member of the group was well prepared and willing to take over the leadership, and our group remains strong and vibrant. We now have shared leadership in the group: three of us take it in turn to plan and conduct the meetings. We also maintain close links with our other groups in Scotland - we enjoy a social evening occasionally or we meet together for prayer.

The Annual Assembly attracts a large number of Lay Associates: we enjoy being together as family for the weekend and meeting all the other Lay Associates. We travel by car and share driving etc. This helps to strengthen our sense of family. Hugh and I have been happily married for 39 years. We have a family of five - four sons and one daughter - who are all married. We enjoy our six grandchildren; a seventh is due shortly.

We are a very close family. As we live at a distance from one another, we keep in touch on a weekly basis. We have a real sense of family, and this is further strengthened by our belonging to the Lay Associates of the Holy Family. We have a strong faith and we are both involved in our parish: Hugh is pastoral assistant, and I have been president of the local branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society for the past ten years. We enjoy our life and have a great love of God and Our Lady.

May the Holy Family continue to survive and grow in our world today, and may we go from strength to strength, all working together to ensure the Founder's dream for all the world becomes a reality!