Schools Inspire Kindness Through Launch of Trust-Wide ‘Big Serve’
Pupils and staff across Epworth Education Trust united this term for a Trust-wide initiative designed to spread positivity and support their school communities inspiring 13,418 acts of kindness.
Every school within the Trust took part in a collective ‘Big Serve’ – a coordinated effort encouraging children and adults to carry out meaningful acts of service both in school and across their local areas.
Activities included visiting care homes, supporting younger children in nurseries, volunteering at local food banks and promoting safer parking around schools. Several schools also participated in whole-school fundraising events, including a colour run and charity challenges.
In total, the Trust recorded an incredible 13,418 acts of kindness across its 10 schools and collectively, schools raised £10,889.42 for various charities and community causes, highlighting the compassion and community spirit shown by pupils and staff.
Julie-ann Hewitt, CEO at Epworth Education Trust, said: “Kindness sits at the heart of everything we stand for as a Trust family. The Big Serve is about empowering our children to recognise the impact they can have on others and showing them that even the smallest gesture can make a meaningful difference.
“We are incredibly proud of the compassion and community spirit being shown across our schools.”
Some of the acts of kindness carried out across the Trust included:
Nutgrove Methodist Primary School pupils visited Playdays Nursery to spend time with younger children and also visited residents at Brownedge Care Home. Pupils also supported St Matthew’s Food Pantry and organised a cake sale to raise funds for their Edukidsponsorship.
Summerseat Methodist Primary School pupils wrote and delivered cards to members of their local community, helped clean their church and shared chocolates with parents as a gesture of appreciation.
Wheatley Lane Methodist Primary School pupils supported their community in a number of ways, including the worship group dusting chairs and pews at Wheatley Lane Methodist Church. Year 6 pupils litter picked around the village of Fence, Year 5 created cards for elderly residents promoting the Neighbourhood Watch scheme with the local PCSO, and Year 2 pupils planted seeds in the EYFS outdoor area and made bags of wildflower seeds to distribute to members of the church congregation.
As part of the Big Serve, the Trust also assembled Mother and Baby boxes, New Beginnings boxes and care packages for young adults and children, which will be donated to The Shoebox Fairies, a Wigan-based charity that distributes gift boxes to families in need.
Julie-ann added: “The Big Serve forms part of our Infinite Eight strategy, which provides our pupils rich experiences beyond the classroom. We want our children to grow not only academically, but as compassionate, active members of their community.”
To find out more about the Trust, please visit: www.epworthtrust.org.uk
