Caritas Council at St Winifred's

The Caritas Council are a very proactive group of children at St Winifred's  who are witnesses to God’s faith by putting prayers into action and supporting those who are less fortunate than themselves. they are also responsible for making things happen at St Winifred's.

The team comprises of children in Year 5 and 6 and are led by Mrs Kendry and Ms Devaney. At the start of the year,  as well as discussing things which matter to them in school, the team decide on what charities they are going to support and what areas of the Catholic Social Teaching needs our attention. They sometimes liaise with Salford Diocese in order to make this decision. 

This is what Bishop John Arnold said to Caritas representatives in Salford Diocese about the essential work they do.

It has always been at the very foundation of our Christian Faith that we not only profess our faith and belief in the love of God but that we express that Faith in an active care and love for our neighbour.  If we claim to believe in the Gospel and ignore the plight and suffering of others around us then we have made our Faith an empty and useless vessel.

As Caritas Ambassadors you have made a very generous commitment to put your Faith into practical action; caring for those in need and fighting the disease of poverty that so threatens the well-being of our society and our world.  You have recognised the innate dignity of every person and are showing the way to others how we respond to people’s needs.  Thank you for what you are doing and for the sign and the witness that you give.

There are tough challenges ahead but there are always the opportunities to bring the love of God the others through our actions The Caritas Ambassadors are showing us all, by example, how we can make our world a better place.

Our Caritas Council respond to the Bishop's focus each year and support initiatives led by the Caritas Diocese of Salford. They also help to plan and deliver assemblies in school, focusing on the seven themes of Catholic social teaching: Caritas in Action.  They meet regularly with Mrs Kendry and  Ms Devaney to review their work and to plan next steps.

This year, the Caritas Council are focusing on the Bishop's mission: 'Hearing the Cry: Responding with Hope' which is all about how we, as a school, can make a difference to the world which God created. The Caritas Council are working on a'hearing the Cry' action plan.

The work of our Caritas Council was  recognised in our Catholic School Inspection (May 2023) which states; '...Pupils flourish as they seek opportunities to grow in virtue. People take a leading role in responding to Catholic social teaching and have a great pride in the impact that their actions have had upon those within their own community and are able to clearly articulate the positive impact that their actions have had upon themselves and others. Pupils are deeply respectful of themselves and for others. Pupils speak about how they are cared for by their school and the opportunities that they have to share their care and love for others. They demonstrate respect for those of other faiths...'