Therfield pupils’ Gift of Giving project spreads kindness and joy

A selection of bags waiting to be delivered.Picture: Therfield First School (Image: Archant)

Some inevitable changes had to be made this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but youngsters felt their kindness was needed more than ever this year.

In their bubbles, pupils wrote and decorated Harvest poems to be placed in bags with three daffodil bulbs. The bags were secured with purple ribbon, the school colour.

Max Downing, a Year 1 Therfield First School pupil. Picture: Therfield First School (Image: Archant)

On Friday, all pupils helped to deliver the 170 bags to all the homes in the village.

Headteacher Tara McGovern said: “We were unable to have parent helpers this year and chose not to make edible goods. The idea of daffodil bulbs was to look forward to their growth in the spring, mimicking the children’s growth at school and the village’s growth as a community.

Year 3 and 4 pupils, outside The Fox and Duck - landlord Ivan Titmuss had left a welcoming message to pupils on the doors and windows.Picture: Therfield First School (Image: Archant)

“Many villagers have said that they will plant their daffodils at the front of their house, so we can look forward to seeing a sea of yellow across Therfield in the coming months.

“Pupils carried their beautiful bags with pride to the eagerly awaiting neighbours. This year, we left the bags on doorsteps and were greeted with lots of waving and smiles from windows as the children chanted ‘happy Harvest’ on the count of three.”

Kai Bilton and Max Barrett (Year 4) enjoying their harvest breakfast.Picture: Therfield First School (Image: Archant)

The Gift of Giving project was started six years ago when Mrs McGovern joined the school. In previous years, pupils made posies of flowers, chocolate brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes and shortbread.

The project was met with an overwhelming response – with the school being inundated with phone calls, emails, letters and cards – most written directly to the pupils who wrote their poem. Villager Nadine said: “Thank you for the harvest gift. It will be so cheering to watch our flowers appear over the coming months – a reminder of the kindness of our wonderful village school.”

Therfield First School. .Picture: Therfield First School (Image: Archant)

“That’s such a nice thing to do, bringing a touch of normality back to our lives, especially to people like myself who live on their own”, said Neil.

On the day of delivering, children came to school dressed as fisherman, farmers, fruits, vegetables and farm animals, to be served a special breakfast provided by the staff. It raised £90 for family charity Home-Start Royston, Buntingford and South Cambridgeshire.