Live Simply Award

As a school and in response to our School’s mission statement ‘We show our faith by the way we live’. We have decided to pursue the CAFOD Live Simply award. This is an opportunity for us to respond to Pope Francis’ invitation to “work with generosity and tenderness in protecting this world which God has entrusted to us.”

To earn this award, in collaboration with our global, local and school family, we need to complete a range of actions to show we are:

Living Simply

With the poor in need, being aware that other people might be experiencing difficulties, vulnerabilities and injustice.

Living in Solidarity

Taking the time to be more prayerful, reflective and considerate to others.

Living Sustainably

God gave us this earth for us to care for so we should look after his resources wisely.

You can view more about the LiveSimply initiative on the CAFOD website.

Live Simply Prayers

Key Information

At St. Mary’s Prep, we have already completed a range of actions towards this award and continue to complete more. Here are just a few of our actions so far:

Grandparents Mass

We held our annual Grandparents’ Mass at St. Joseph’s Church to celebrate the important roles our pupils grandparents play in our lives and our school community.

World Food Day

The whole school took part in planting a variety of seeds to grow cress, salad leaves, garlic, broad beans and onion. Focusing on the theme ‘Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind’ and understanding how important water is for growth.

Socktober

We supported The Whitechapel Centre’s Socktober campaign, gathering warm socks to donate to the homeless. School Council and CAFOD Club members visited the warehouse to drop off all the sock donations that our school families sent in and they helped pack the gift bags for those in need.

Christmas Jumper Swap Shop

Children took part in a Christmas Jumper Swap Shop ahead of our Christmas Jumper Day. Children donated their old jumpers and bought new ones for a small donation at our Swap Shop event. Recycling our Christmas Jumpers meant everyone had a new jumper to wear without having to buy brand new and donated to charity at the same time.

Carol Singing at Walton Centre

Children visited The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Charity to attend the annual blessing of the crib. They sang carols for the staff and patients to enjoy and visited patients and their families in their accommodation. They had a tour of some of the rooms and could see first hand where their donations go for the centre’s ‘Home from Home’ appeal.

Carol Singing with the Community at Merrilocks Park

The school community gathered together at Merrilocks Park for an afternoon of Christmas Carols, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

Food donations to make a difference

Children visited a local food bank with an abundance of goods kindly donated by our school families.

An Introduction to LiveSimply for schools – CAFOD

Why LiveSimply? Animation for schools – CAFOD