The Spirit of Giving
A core part of our development of the ‘Virtues’ part of our motto Virtue, Learning and Manners is instilling in the pupils a desire to help others. This begins with understanding our impact on each other and our youngest children are taught the importance of sharing, waiting our turn and listening to others. As the pupils grow we focus our attention on actively helping those around us in the classroom and the playground. Soon pupils have the capacity to grasp the notion that we can, and should, help even those we cannot see and do not know. We had an incredible number of donations earlier in the year for our Harvest Festival in conjunction with the Brentwood Foodbank, yet again the families of Brentwood School rallying to show their commitment to the wider community.
Today is Children in Need and our focus broadens to that of the needs of children in our nation. We have been supporting Children in Need at the Prep for many many years, with a sea of spots from EYFS to KS2, including staff too.
The history of BBC Children in Need spans almost a century, beginning with the first BBC radio appeal for children in 1927, raising £1,300 for charities. It evolved into televised appeals in 1955 and introduced its iconic mascot, Pudsey Bear, in 1985.
The charity expanded its reach through initiatives like the Rickshaw Challenge, major fundraising concerts, and partnerships. In 2018, it celebrated raising over £1 billion for UK children. BBC Children in Need continues to support disadvantaged youth with innovative programmes and widespread community engagement.
Today, the 15th November, is also the day this year that many Sikh families will be celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji the founder of the Sikhi faith. Guru Nanak gave many teachings on equality, compassion and a unified community. An incredible legacy of Guru Nanak’s life is how he established the Langar as a bedrock of Sikh practice. The Langar is a free community kitchen, often within or next to a Gurdwara, that serves food to absolutely anyone. Everyone sits and eats together regardless of faith, race, or economic or social status.
Across Britain and the world, many Sikhi communities will be meeting and undertaking the Langar together in honour of Guru Nanak’s desire for all peoples’ to be cared for.
Whether you are celebrating a religious festival, tuning in to the Children in Need show or simply snuggling up as autumn matches into winter, I wish you a lovely Friday and weekend.
Alice Goodfellow
If you would like to know more about how you can help children become members of the Brentwood School community whose families do not have the means to do so, please read on.
The Brentwood School Foundation
The Brentwood School Foundation exists solely to provide transformational bursaries to bright and deserving children who would otherwise be unable to benefit from all Brentwood has to offer.
The positive effects of a bursary can extend beyond the individual child as they become inspirational examples of social mobility, raising aspirations within their families and communities and going on to make positive contributions both to the school and wider society.
There are several ways to support The Brentwood School Foundation including making a single gift. Your support will help us provide financial assistance to enable talented and gifted pupils to come to, or remain at, Brentwood through means-tested bursaries and whatever the size or type of your gift, it will make a real difference.
You can support the Foundation through regular donations. Whatever the size or type of your gift, it will be gratefully received and make a real difference to current and future pupils of the School. The gift of education is a great one – it changes lives.
Please take a walk through our online magazine celebrating the impact of the bursary scheme here at Brentwood School.
