CHILDREN who have been collecting produce for a local food bank took part in an African themed harvest festival to remind people about famine across the world.
An audience of family and friends watched year five and six pupils at Bede Academy, Blyth, present a traditional harvest festival with a twist, with music, dance and prayer inspired by Africa.
Celebrating the recent visit to Bede Academy of the Pearl of Africa Children’s Choir, from Uganda, the students sang a traditional Swahili song ‘Asante’ and offered prayers for a bountiful harvest for children living across the African continent.
They also presented a famine news broadcast, explained how food is grown in African countries and spoke about the work of charities including Oxfam and Water Aid.
Year five pupils created a poem, based on Kit Wright’s The Magic Box, about their hopes and wishes for children across Africa to have plenty to eat, a life without heartache and access to a good education and medical care.
Head teacher Irene Watson said: “Our students in year five and six have worked extremely hard to bring us a wonderful harvest festival reminder of the difficulties faced by many children across the world.
“They have also shown an appreciation of families living in our own community who may struggle to buy food by collecting a wonderful amount of produce for Storehouse, the food bank run by the Tyneside Vinyard Church.
“We started off with one table for donations but thanks to the incredible generosity of parents, students and staff we have managed to collect six tables full of food and toiletries, which is an incredible achievement.”
Following the harvest assembly pupils and staff helped to pack up the food for distribution to the Tyneside Vinyard Church.
Year six teacher Rebecca Johnson, who arranged the collection, said: “This is the first year that we have held a harvest food collection at Bede Academy and it has proved a great success.
“It’s good for the children to be able to bring and give and help people who are not as fortunate as themselves and if they start donating when they are this age it may be something that they continue to do in later life.”
Student Caitlin Allison, 10, of Blyth, added: “I think everyone should have something to eat so it’s good that we can do something to help.”
