Growing their own food in the school allotment to serve at lunchtimes, taking part in the Big Lent Walk and making use of the natural environment through their Forest Schools have all helped a school in Seaham secure the LiveSimply award.

St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary school, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, was presented with the award championed by the international aid charity CAFOD, for living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with communities around the world experiencing poverty.

Led by the school’s LiveSimply lead, Lyndsey Huntley, the children’s actions have had a positive impact throughout the Mill Road school, in their local community and globally too. They supported their local community by making Lent and Advent bags, collected for foodbanks, held Christmas appeals for the charity, Love Amelia, and the local community centre, and participated in the International Day of Peace and World Youth Fun Day.

Miss Huntley said: “It has been a privilege working towards our LiveSimply award, to see how the children have really carried out living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with Christ at the heart of all they do.”

The children are proud of their achievements and enjoy participating in the tasks which have helped them gain this recognition.

Eight-year-old Rueben, who is in Year 4, said: “We are a LiveSimply school because we are kind, always thinking about other people and our planet.”

Isabelle, nine, also in Year 4, said: “We like to help our community and have made a difference.”

Aaron, 10, in Year 6, said: “It’s important to me to be a LiveSimply school. I am proud to have the award as it’s nice to have been recognised for the work that we do. We made our pledges and we acted on them doing good things like the big walk for Lent.”

Year 6 pupil Chloe, 11, added: “It’s great to have been given the award as it means it has been recognised that as a school we have lived more simply, lived in solidarity and tried to live more sustainably in caring for our school, local community, our global family and the world God has given us.”

Headteacher Nicola Noble said: “Achieving the LiveSimply Award is a wonderful recognition of our whole school community’s commitment to caring for one another and for our world.

“I am incredibly proud of our pupils, staff and families, whose enthusiasm and dedication have turned simple actions into meaningful change.

“This award reflects not just what we have accomplished, but the values we strive to live every day, and the children feel proud knowing that their efforts have helped to make a real difference, both locally and globally.”

CAFOD’s LiveSimply coordinator for schools, Siobhan Farnell, said: “Congratulations to the pupils and staff on achieving the LiveSimply award. Their actions are wonderful examples of caring for others and our common home and we wish them well as they continue to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with communities around the world experiencing poverty.”

For more information about St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, which was also recently accredited with the Gold Rights Respecting Award, visit www.stcuthbertsprimary.com

For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk

Photo captions: Pupils at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, Seaham.