Luton Irish Forum

Improving welfare for all and promoting Irish culture.

Kathleen Connolly House, provides the base for a broad portfolio of services aimed at improving welfare and promoting culture for our and other communities.

• Support to access welfare benefits and related housing and debt issues
• Representation at appeals
• Applications for Irish Passports
• Information on returning to Ireland
• Support with accessing community and social care services
• Emergency drop in for those have no home, money or are at risk of eviction
• Information for Irish, Polish and other people who are considering moving to or who have just arrived in Luton thisisluton.com
• Support to Gypsy, Traveller and Roma within Bedford HMP Traveller Forum
• Reception facility 9. 30am to 3. 30pm Monday to Thursday (3pm on Friday)
• Telephone helpline for new welfare enquiries on Tuesday mornings
• Outreach to those who cannot easily access our centre
• Telephone and email advice
• Accredited by the Advice Quality Standard including Welfare Benefits Casework and the Trusted Charity Mark
• 13 weekly social activities including Computer Club (including Genealogy), Tuesday and Wednesday Clubs, Tea and Chat, Choir, Irish Language, Literary Society (monthly), Pipe Band, Baby and Toddler Group, Music Class, Art Group, Calligraphy Group and Exercise Class engaging 200 people.
• Befriending Service to older isolated people
• Organisation of Luton St Patrick’s Festival attended by over 7, 500 people
• School and community based workshops
• Programme of events at LIF and other venues, the majority of which are free to attend (In 2018 /19, these included LIF annual Literary Society Evening, Afternoon Tea, Indian Cooking Classes, Drama Performances and a Cultural Seminar and Exhibition engaging between 30 and 250 local people at each event. )
• Secretary of Luton Community Forum