Earlier this year, the Pupil Chaplain team at Backwell Junior School took part in a discussion about caring for the environment with Bishop Michael Beasley. Following this discussion, the chaplains decided to get involved in St Andrew’s Church’s application for the Eco Church award.
The team feels strongly about caring for creation, Zoe (Backwell Junior School- Year 6) writes,
“I chose to be part of this topic because looking after our planet is crucial to our survival. It is our duty to take care of the gifts we’ve been given. Everything we need to save it is right in front of us and we are deciding not to use it, it’s very frustrating to see. A few weeks ago, global warming turned into ‘global boiling’, so this issue is even more urgent. We can’t just do nothing!” Rory (Backwell Junior School- Year 6) is concerned about littering in Backwell: “I see people littering more and more. Just the other day I saw lots of kids from the secondary school leave all their cans and wrappers lying around in the Playing Fields, it made me sad. The planet is important, because it’s the only place we have to live, and I don’t want that to be gone for the next generation”.
The Pupil Chaplains visited the St Andrew’s Harvest service at Moorside Farm to tell the congregation about their involvement in the application process, and to show the amazing plaque the church received after A Rocha awarded them a Bronze Award, now displayed at Church House. Although very proud of this achievement, the children are already working on an Action Plan to get St Andrew’s up to a Silver Award! They are soon inviting a local environmental campaigner to a Sunday service in hopes of raising awareness of local issues, and the chaplains will assist in a land survey of St Andrew’s grounds to identify plants and habitats that encourage wildlife! They are also committing to praying for creation, and will record a prayer series that will be used at St Andrew's Sunday services.