On Wednesday 5 March, Knights Templar Community Church School in Watchet received a special visit from Gemma Hunt. Gemma is best known for her role as Pirate Gem in the BAFTA winning CBeebies programme Swashbuckle.
Gemma started the morning with a whole school Pirate assembly where she was in character as Pirate Gem. The children became Swashbucklers and helped Gem find her hidden jewels. The assembly was engaging and well-paced with the children clearly enjoying themselves.
After the assembly, Key Stage 1 and 2 each had separate sessions with Gemma suited to their age. During these sessions, Gemma spoke about how her relationship with God has shaped both her life and her career. She shared that during a summer Church camp she received a message from God that one day she would be a TV personality.
Gemma spoke to the pupils about the importance of a good education; and explained how she had studied hard and went on to achieve a degree in Media and Performance. She shared how she felt her success in the role of Pirate Gem was evidence of God's presence in her life by giving her the opportunity to fulfil His calling as promised all those years ago at Church camp.
After discussing her TV career, Gemma shared her journey as a children's author. The desire to represent multi-ethnic families like her own was the driving force behind Gemma finding the confidence to put pen to paper. It was also an opportunity to put a modern spin on parables from the Bible. Gemma's books enable God's word to be accessible to families by teaching key moral lessons alongside everyday situations and through the eyes of children experiencing the big emotions that are all a part and parcel of growing up.
Gemma finished off the morning by playing Pirate Games with our Reception children.
Laura Weaver, Head Teacher Knights Templar Community Church School and Nursery, says, “Our visit was one which will be remembered for years to come; Gemma's warm and charismatic persona ensured that all those who met her took in every word she spoke. It's clear that Gemma sees her school visits as an opportunity to share her faith and as a Church of England and Methodist school we were grateful for the morning she spent with us.”