In marking the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, St Peter’s pupils were keen for the school to again collect essential items to go to those people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.  Below is a picture of just some of the stock of various toiletries that were donated to St Peter’s and given to Stella’s Voice charity in Havant for transportation from the UK.

We are grateful for all that we received in this act of Lenten charity.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

After pancakes for pudding with school lunch on Shrove Tuesday 21 February, pupils from St Peter’s gathered the following day for Liturgies to mark Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

To make the Liturgies more involved and age-appropriate, pupils from 2 year groups at a time joined in worship both in the school hall with Mr Cunningham and in Oaklands’ chapel with Miss Heath.

Pictured here are the youngest pupils in the school, children in Reception Year and Year 1 aged 4 to 6, gathering to hear the Gospel, join in penitential prayer and receive ashes.

St Peter’s has been able to keep up its commitment to charitable acts as 2022 has progressed into 2023.  Before Christmas, our school Carol Service collected £306 which was donated to the Waterlooville Food Bank in supplement to the festive food treats the pupils brought into school.  The school staff also made use of one of the autumn training days to hold a MacMillan coffee morning which raised £84 for cancer support.  At the moment, in marking the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the school is again collecting essential items to go to those people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.  If any family wanted to add to the stock before it is given to Stella’s Voice for transportation from the UK, we would gratefully receive donations of any of the following items (when we return to school on Monday 20 February after the half-term holiday!):

Toothpaste and toothbrushes 

Bars of soap, shampoo and shower gel 

Nappies, pull-ups and baby wipes 

Sanitary pads, face cloths, disinfectant sprays or wipes 

Disposable masks, combs and hairbrushes

With great thanks for any donations you may be able to provide, and wishing you all a restful and enjoyable half-term holiday

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Much as many of us enjoy the Christmas season and the New Year celebrations, there is a common sense of relief when they all come to an end and we can return to our normal routines. January, however, does make the return to a routine challenging given that it somehow manages to cram a feeling of at least five and a half weeks into its 31 days!  After the Feast of the Epiphany brings the Church’s Christmas season to a close, we return to what is known as Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. But this word ‘ordinary’ does not mean normal or plain as we commonly use it today, but rather it gives a sense of order to what is done – a structure, a pattern, a certainty. Without order there would be chaos; without order there would be little special when things, such as Christmas, celebrate the ‘out of the ordinary’. It is useful to reflect, therefore, that order has its place and its benefit in our lives as it does in the Church, and we should treasure it as much as we treasure the seasons of Christmas and Easter.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher