Known as the Welfare arm of AMS it is named after a former Lay President Bill Brady, a committed Christian who took an interest in prison imates, visiting them and giving practical assistance to their families. He was very concerned about the future of ex-prisoners when released from the penal system, and what to do about it.
Brady House was born, a large old home in Strathmore, purchased by the Mission of St. James' and St. John, a first class hostel for men, run by house parents backed up by a Board of Management from the Mission and AMS members. A number of beds remained vacant to take in seleced ex-prisoners just released from jail, they would live with other men just like ordinary boarders, nobody knew their background and this gave them the opportunity for rehabilitation. This venture continued with great success for thirteen years and then, due to a number of reasons, it was closed down in 1979, one year after the death of Bill Brady.
Not wishing the name of Bill Brady to disappear, AMS members of the Brady House Board of Management set up the Bill Brady Welfare Organisation with a number of Objects, the main one being to sponsor and engage in the promotion and conducting of welfare activities to aid people who are distressed, disadvantaged or disabled.
Our monthly breakfast with the Lay President is sponsored by our Welfare Organisation. Over the last twenty years we have distributed $168,000 which comes from fundraising and donations from members and branches.
The name of Bill Brady MBE lives on.