The LiveSimply Award is an opportunity for Catholic communities - parishes, schools, religious orders and chaplaincies - to respond to Pope Francis’ invitation in Laudato Si' to “work with generosity and tenderness in protecting this world which God has entrusted to us”. 

As a school community, we are on a journey with Christ towards the LiveSimply Award.

We are answering the call from Pope Francis to care for creation by completing CAFOD's Live Simply Award. We will be working together to complete nine actions across our school, local and global communities. This is all surrounded by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. 

Find out more about CAFOD's LiveSimply award for schools here. This animation helps pupils to understand why LiveSimply is important, and the impact it can have on themselves, our neighbours and our global community. CAFOD stands for the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development.

Click the link LiveSimply for Schools to find out more.

We began our journey with a whole school assembly to launch LiveSimply. Children then went back to their classrooms and all pupils and adults made their own LiveSimply pledge which is displayed in school. Making a LiveSimply pledge is one of our actions towards achieving the LiveSimply Award and is a promise to: live simply, live sustainably and live in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities. Have a look at the photos of our lovely pledge tree.

 

 

 

 

LiveSimply Local Action: Caring for the environment

Well done Year 5!
Inspired by Laudato Si' the Year 5 pupils organised a litter pick in the community to protect wildlife and keep the local area tidy. The children seized the opportunity during their Geography Field Trip to Stratfield Brake to carry out this LiveSimply action so that our environment is safer for wildlife and more pleasant for residents.

Before they left school, the children took time to reflect and pray, making links with Catholic Social Teaching: Stewardship of God's Creation and our Gospel Virtues: Intentional and Prophetic, reminding us that we all can make a difference and have a responsibility to care for our environment.

Genesis 2: 15: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Laudato-Si-for-children
 

 

 

LiveSimply Local Action - visiting the local care home

We have continued on our journey to live simply.
Our school choir visited the local residential home. They sang Christmas carols and spent time chatting to the residents and sharing juice and biscuits. It was such a successful afternoon that pupils have been invited to return next year.

This is a wonderful opportunity to maintain our link with the local residential home and grow in faith by sharing quality time together: talking, playing games, learning more about the lives of our older community, hearing top tips and following the example of St Thérèse of Lisieux to show small acts of kindness.
"Nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with Love"
By sharing our gifts and talents in purposeful and meaningful ways we are also reminded of the teaching in the Gospel of Matthew 25:14-30: The Parable of the Talents.

We are very proud of the way the children behaved and showed genuine interest in hearing the stories of the residents. Children were able to live out the Catholic Social Teaching principle 'Dignity of the Human Person' where we are reminded that each person is made in the image and likeness of God and the Gospel Virtues: Compassionate and Loving.

During prayer and liturgy, we will continue to pray for the elderly and in particular those who do not have family or loved ones to care for them - especially during the season of Advent and Christmas.

 

 

 

 

LiveSimply Global Action - Get Creative for Climate Justice

Key Stage Two pupils took part in a CAFOD workshop to understand how climate change is affecting people around the world. Children learnt the difference between climate change and climate justice and made links to Catholic Social Teaching through understanding how we can live out our faith by caring for our common home, and for each other.
Pupils created some beautiful art work to show their thoughts on climate justice some of which have been selected to be displayed in the Houses of Parliament as part of a nationwide campaign.

 

 

 

 

LiveSimply Global Action - Living in Solidarity by fundraising for CAFOD World Gifts 

The whole school joined together to fundraise during the season of Lent as part of our preparation for Easter. Each class was actively involved in choosing the CAFOD World Gifts they would like to raise money for. World Gifts are a range of virtual gifts that help transform the lives of families experiencing poverty.

We invited Clive from CAFOD to lead a whole school assembly to help us understand the work the agency does to help people overseas. Pupils then reflected on Lent being a time to think about our global neighbours and said prayers for our brothers and sisters around the world during prayer and liturgy. We also revisited Pope Francis' Fratelli Tutti 'asking us to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need, whoever they are, wherever they may come from. 

The event was a huge success with all classes taking part in a baking and cooking project during DT lessons and selling their baked goods to parents and families. In addition, our year 6 pupils were inspired by the project and responded to the demands of Catholic Social Teaching by organising their own bake sale during the last week of May to top up the funds raised for CAFOD. They promoted the event themselves, and were proactive in creating persuasive posters and speaking in assembly to the whole school to encourage them to join in. Parents and families were invited to take part too, which made it a real community effort.

In total, we have raised £475 for CAFOD World Gifts, which included: Teach someone to read; The goat that gives for schools; Forest school for schools; Help a refugee child for schools; chirpy chickens for schools; back to school gifts. For more information about these gifts please see https://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/pages/schools