Cllr Paul Donovan on the Mercy Sisters in Wanstead

The Mercy Sisters ran St Joseph's school and the Convent on Cambridge Park, close to Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

The school closed four years ago. Many the Wanstead child that has spent their early school years at St Joseph's. 

A number returned for the recent final goodbye mass and reception for the Mercy sisters.

The Mercy Sisters have been a constant in the community, providing educational and pastoral care, as well as encouraging people to look to wider horizons.

Back in the late 1980s and 90s, there was a group formed at Our Lady of Lourdes called the Association for Relief in Crisis Areas (ARICA).

The idea was to raise funds to support projects in the developing world (as called then) and increase awareness of the injustices that made so many people poor. A very rich world, where the vast majority were poor.

Paul Donovan went to Peru with the Mercy Sisters (Image: Paul Donovan) Part of the awareness involved showing films in the Convent, like Cry Freedom and John Pilger's documentaries and having discussions afterwards. On one occasion, the then MP for Wanstead and Woodford and later champion of the postmasters and mistresses James Arbuthnot was invited to attend to answer questions.

Two of the first projects supported by ARICA were in Peru, on a poor barrier on the outskirts of Lima.

The funds were used to bring water and electricity to the area. Two of us went out to see the work at first hand, staying in the Convent with Sisters Brendan and Agnes. There was also Sister Millie, a legendary nun, who drove her small car through what were then war torn Barrios.

It was an important project that had far reaching consequences for the communities in Wanstead and Peru.

ARICA eventually packed up. The Mercy's continued with their great work at home and abroad. 

A more recent project saw a centre established in King's Cross helping sex workers. Women At The Well was established over a decade ago by Sister Lynda Dearlove as a safe house for sex workers.

Sister Lynda attended the goodbye mass which was celebrated by Bishop of Brentwood, Alan Williams, at Our Lady of Lourdes.

The order has never flinched from helping and walking alongside the most desperate in society.

So it's goodbye to Wanstead from the Sisters of Mercy but good luck for all the great work they continue to do around the world.

• Paul Donovan is Labour councillor for Wanstead Village ward, Redbridge Council and a blogger (paulfdonovan.blogspot.com).