About Us!

We would like to introduce everyone personally, but that would be impossible. Anyone who is, or has been, involved with us is always part of our apostolate, and, if you scroll the pages of our internet shop, visit the various gifts pages on this website (or have previously walked around our Watermead Centre and shop), then you would be sharing in the faith journeys of many, many people. Pictured here are just some of those who have been involved over the years and the music below is one of our hymns presented by some of our singers and musicians.

(Click arrow to Watermead's setting of the 'Our Father')

Our people are represented by the music, words and pictures used on our items, and through the time and resources gifted for the development of each project. We actually stopped counting in 2000, realising that the people involved with us exceeded well over two hundred - and today new people still keep joining our sharing.

Singers & Musicians

Music was the first gift shared and over the years many people have been involved in the various presentations of our music. People have sung and provided instrumental backing for recordings, events and workshops. Others have also shared their original hymns and music through us.

Poets & Authors

Our first book was a book of parishioners' favourite prayers, soon followed by their own original poetry and prayers. These and the numerous reflections and writings gifted to us have often shaped the way our publications have evolved, as words have inspired books, laminates, greeting cards and stationery.

Artists & Photographers

The first picture was a painting of the birth parish church of our apostolate used for the cassette cover and folder of our first music recording.  Many original paintings and photographs have been gifted us to use and these appear on our cards, publications and recordings artwork. 

Some of our Watermead People

Tom

CO-FOUNDER (RIP)

Tom Concannon co-founded our publishing apostolate in 1992, although sadly died in 1993 six months before the completion of our first project.  He was already a published author of seven historical novels and died before finishing his own inspiring autobiography. This was eventually edited and completed by his wife, Doreen, becoming the second publishing project - "Tom, an English-Irishman".

Alison

CO-FOUNDER

Alison (Concannon) Kennedy

looks after the encouraging and sharing of the gifts we receive. She composed the first hymn published, "Our Songs Give Praise" with her father, Tom, and has since composed many hymns and liturgical/instrumental music. As a graphic designer she has gifted the artwork for many of the designs of our greeting cards, books and stationery, and is creator of the "Little Saint" charactors.

Fr John

SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR (RIP)

Fr John Daley inspired and co-founded Watermead as a lay apostolate, along with Tom, Alison and several enthusiastic parishioners at our birth parish of St Theresa's in Birstall. He penned many of our hymn words as well as being author of "The Lord's Day" leading Watermead Retreats and Pilgrimages. Sadly, he died on 10th March 2024. He was a member of the  Institute of Charity (nicknamed "Rosminians"). 

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David

BUSINESS MANAGER

David Kennedy manages the administration of Watermead Publishing Ltd and until October 2024 managed the Watermead Centre and Gifts Shop. In 2022 he designed the Watermead Internet Shop which continues to make available what our shop at St Joseph's used to stock.
He has contributed to the apostolate in many ways over the years, designing Watermead's original harp logo at just 8 years old. 

Fr John Daley IC (RIP)

Co-founder of the Watermead Apostolate

died on Sunday 10th March 2024


He had been suffering from myeloma cancer for the past 3 years, although had remained the priest serving St Joseph's parish up until a month before he died and his involvement with our Watermead Apostolate until the end of life.


Fr John was born in Splott in Cardiff, Wales, and joined the Institute of Charity (nick-named the "Rosminians" after their founder, Antonio Rosmini), serving in parishes, schools and missions in the UK, Canada, New Zealand.


He was received into St Joseph's Church on Wednesday 10th April and his Requiem Mass took place on Thursday 11th April.  Both services were livestreamed and are available to watch on demand (see below). Souvenir service sheets are still available as are links to the streamed funeral liturgies.


Click here for more information

"Requiescat in Pace"

Watermead Publishing Limited

When we began we were simply a small parish venture that produced and sold our own music, books and cards, giving the monies we made to charity - people gifted us and we in turn gave to charity, a double giving. But, as projects and outlets grew, we were advised that we needed to form a trading company, so as not to compromise our parish charity status.

So, in 1997, Watermead Publishing Limited was formed - through which took responsibility for producing and trading the products created from the donated gifts, whilst our Watermead Apostolate's various other activities continued the support of the charitable missions and good works that we have become involved with over the years.

As well as being responsible for the necessary administration and accounting for our publishing projects and its retail outlets, Watermead Publishing Ltd takes on publishing commissions alongside Watermead projects, to help support and fund this responsibility.

Our first Managing Director

When Watermead Publishing Limited was formed in 1997, it needed someone to take on legal responsibility for the running of the company as Managing Director.

Len  was a long-standing and respected parishioner in the parish and had been supportive and helpful in the setting up of the Apostolate from 1992. His experience in business and accountancy made him the obvious person for the role and we were delighted he took on the position. Richard then offered to look after the accounts and other parishioners also became involved. A team of fourteen honorary directors was put together, representing the various aspects of the Apostolate from the creative to technical, and from parish to diocese - as well as the Rosminian Order to whom Father John belongs. Our set-up could have been termed a model of Social Enterprise - an evangelising workers co-operative.
Len, pictured here with his wife, Celia, retired as managing director in 2002 

Where is Watermead located?

We began Watermead from our local parish and after a while people from around the country and even other parts of the world became involved in what we produced and shared.  Although it was a sad and an unwanted upheaval we had to leave our birth parish of St Theresa's, Birstall, after 9 years in November 2000, and eventually moved to another parish on the other side of the city.

In 2001, when we moved to St Joseph's, the necessary geographical changes made it difficult for people to continue their day-to-day involvement and, for some, their commitment as honorary directors. It was decided together that honorary directors were no longer needed and those who had been so willing to help us by agreeing to hold the position in our initial years were relieved to resign, knowing that they would still continue to be very much part of our Watermead family from a distance - but without the responsibility of being directors of the limited company. To date the management of the limited company is looked after by David.

Watermead moved to St Joseph's in 2001 at the invitation of the then Bishop of Nottingham, Malcolm McMahon, to utilise a derelict building which, in 1939, had been the original St Joseph's church.  By 2005 our apostolate had saved enough to refurbish the building, together with the adjoining former stable, and this became the Watermead Centre and base for our lay apostolate. At St Joseph's the Watermead family and projects grew with many more people becoming involved in various creative and practical ways, but in September 2024 we were asked to vacate what we had hoped would be our forever home to make way for the new planned use by Fr John's successor. For the full story see the Watermead Centre page.

Since our leaving St Joseph's we operate online keeping our large family, both national and international, connected and informed through the 'Community News'- our weekly update newsletter and through our various social media platforms.