St Matthew’s Rainbows of Hope

The last year has been tough for us all. The pandemic has brought challenges that many of us would never have envisaged having to face.

At St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School, they have lost friends and family, beloved members of the parish and valued member of its close community, like many schools and parishes have throughout the country. Throughout the pandemic as a school community prayer has been a constant and important.

Weekly prayer assemblies have continued throughout lockdown delivered by the headteacher, Mrs Sime. The school’s religious education co-ordinator, Mr Edwards, has worked hard to ensure prayer resources have been shared with families on the school website to help families continue to reflect and pray at home during the unprecedented time.

Headteacher, Mrs Sime said: “As a school community we decided to remember a year since national lockdown on Tuesday 23 March - the National Day of Prayer with a symbol that not only encompassed the spirit of the school but has been adopted by the whole country over the last year as a sign of hope, the rainbow.

“To gather as a school community of children, staff, parents, governors and clergy we had to make sure it was a socially distanced event outside on the school playground. Each class released a rainbow of balloons as we shared poems, reflections, scripture and hymns in memory of those we have lost and as a sign of hope for the year to come.

“Their reception class also planted a tree at the front of the school so that they will always remember the events of the last year. Reception chose the tree as a sign of new life.”

Parish priest, Father Connor Station-Pollard finished off the service with a blessing and a message of hope that all will have a brighter future ahead of us this year as we all head for the end of the rainbow.