Warrington schools brighten Up the world this Harvest

PUPILS from three Warrington Catholic schools raised over £1000 to help communities across the world grow enough food this Harvest.

Youngsters from St Augustine’s Catholic Primary, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary and St Benedict’s Catholic Primary, wore bright coloured socks, held non-school uniform days, cake sales, and craft sessions to Brighten Up the lives of children and young people across the world as part of a Harvest fundraising campaign by the Catholic aid agency CAFOD.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School raised over £500 by encouraging children to donate £1 to wear non-school uniform. A school representative said: “Each £1 raised by our students will help to feed 3 families for a day! Our year 4 class held a bake sale and our year 6 class used their craft skills to raise money for CAFOD.”

CAFOD is working with communities in the South American country of Bolivia, where in the Altiplano region, nearly 60% of the rural population are living below the poverty line. Unpredictable rains and frequent hailstorms are destroying the crops which the communities rely on.

The charity’s partners are working to provide greenhouses to protect crops and train communities with new farming techniques to help them grow enough crops to feed their families. The fundraising achieved by Warrington schools will enable CAFOD’s partners to continue working with communities like those in Bolivia.

Pupils from St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School wore bright coloured socks and tights, each donating 50p. The school adopted the phrase ‘socks for crops.’ A school representative said: “St Augustine’s children have been answering the call to help others by brightening the world this harvest. We have been raising money for families in countries like Bolivia to enable them to help themselves in life. Thank you to everyone who has supported St Augustine’s ‘Sock for Crops’!”

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School held a non-school uniform day to Brighten Up for Harvest. A school representative said: “Staff and student were busy searching for their £1 donation after finding something bright to wear. We are so proud of all our children today for their efforts in raising money for CAFOD by dressing in bright colours.”

CAFOD’s representative in Warrington, Ged Edwards, said: “Harvest fast days are a great way of bringing people together and raising an incredible amount of money to help others, so we’d like to say a huge thanks to the pupils across Warrington for their generosity.

“Harvest is traditionally a time of abundance, where communities come together and share food. In this time of abundance, it is important that we remember those who are without food and join together, putting our faith into action to help create a fairer world.”

Donate to the Harvest Appeal at cafod.org.uk/harvest