St Clare Hospice Visits School Assembly
Mrs Manning-Swallow was delighted to welcome Ellie and Nancy, representatives from St Clare Hospice, to our school assembly. Everyone was fascinated to learn more about the Lion on the Loose trail.
Why was a lion chosen? Lions live in family groups known as prides, where they care for and support one another throughout their lives. This reflects the values of St Clare Hospice, where staff, carers, patients, and families support one another during challenging times. Whether caring for people at the hospice or supporting those who remain in their own homes, everyone stands side by side to help and support each other.
Firstly, Ellie and Nancy told us more about St Clare Hospice, a local charity that supports around 1,700 families each year when a family member is seriously ill. The hospice also extends its care and support to relatives, friends, and carers.
They then explained how our school had contributed to helping families by participating in the Lion on the Loose trail. Thirty schools from across the local area decorated small lions for the trail, which will take place in Harlow, Epping, and Loughton. These lions will be displayed in venues such as libraries, sports centres, and churches. In addition, 30 full-sized lions, decorated by professional artists, will be displayed outdoors along the trail.
The 30 decorated school lions will be on display from 10th July, while the full-sized lions will appear from 24th July. The trail will run for two months, ending on 10th September, giving everyone plenty of opportunity to enjoy it. Once the trail has finished, our lion will return to school and be displayed within the school grounds.
There are many ways to continue supporting the trail. Merchandise is available from St Clare Hospice shops, including lion ears, sticker books, and trail maps. Families can also support the raffle, which offers many exciting prizes. In addition, families can download the app and enjoy completing the trail together while admiring the beautifully decorated lions. Coopersale Hall School incorporated woodland animals into the design of their lion, and we were encouraged to count how many children could be found within our own lion design.
The Farewell and Auction Event will bring all of the lions together for one final display at Passmores Academy in Harlow on 19th and 20th September. This will give everyone the opportunity to see the entire collection in one place. Following the event, the full-sized lions will be auctioned, and organisers hope to raise between £100,000 and £200,000 through the sale of the artist-designed lions.
We also learned that St Clare Hospice must raise £8.3 million each year to keep its services running. This funding helps maintain the hospice, supports patients and their families, and pays for the dedicated staff, carers, and therapists who provide essential care.
Everyone warmly applauded Ellie and Nancy for their informative and inspiring presentation. Mrs Manning-Swallow was also pleased to announce the winners of the competitions that had been running alongside the project.
The standard of entries for the "Design a Lion" competition was so high that runner-up prizes were also awarded. Pupils were thrilled to receive gifts and certificates in recognition of their efforts.
The winners were:
Early Years: John
Key Stage 1: Buddy
Key Stage 2: Frankie
Well done to all who took part for their wonderful creativity and imagination.
The winners of the Best Dressed Lion competition were:
3rd Place: Archie
2nd Place: Beatrice
1st Place: Olivia
Mrs Manning-Swallow thanked everyone for embracing this special event and for the fantastic costumes that were worn throughout the day.
