Mary's Meals
Mary's Meals at St Anne's Catholic School
At St Anne's Catholic School, we are committed to living out our mission through faith in action. Inspired by Gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching, we strive to show compassion, dignity, solidarity and care for those most in need. Supporting Mary's Meals gives our children the opportunity to put these values into practice and make a real difference in the lives of children around the world.
What is Mary's Meals?
Mary's Meals is a global charity that provides a nutritious daily meal in a place of education for children living in some of the world's poorest communities. The promise of a meal attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education and the hope of a brighter future. It costs just £19.15 to provide a child with meals for an entire school year.
Our Mary's Meals Journey
We were delighted to welcome a representative from Mary's Meals to St Anne's Catholic School, who shared the inspiring work of the charity and helped our children understand the difference that a simple meal can make to a child's life.
Since that initial visit, the representative has returned twice to receive cheques from our school community, celebrating the generosity and commitment of our children, families and staff.
One cheque was presented following our annual Lenten Fundraising Day, which was entirely planned, organised and run by our Year 6 children. Demonstrating excellent leadership and service, Year 6 created and managed a range of activities that brought our whole school together in support of Mary's Meals.
We have also raised funds through our reverent and reflective Year 4 Passion of Christ. Through acting, readings, prayer and reflection on Jesus' journey to the Cross, children helped our school community deepen their understanding of Holy Week while raising money to support Mary's Meals.
Our next event is being run by the Mary's Meals Child-Led Leadership Team on Friday 25th September. This Toy and Book Sale aims to reuse belongings donated by children across the school and sell these to make money for this wonderful charuty.
Our Mary's Meals Pledge
Mary's Meal Team
As part of developing leadership opportunities, we have established a new Mary's Meals Child-Led Leadership Team. The team was formally introduced to the school during a whole-school Celebration of the Word, where they shared their commitment to making a positive contribution to our community. Together we proudly reaffirmed our school's pledge to support this wonderful charity and its mission to help children around the world access education through nutritious daily meals.
Mary's Meals Champion Certificate
Throughout the year, children who demonstrate exceptional commitment to service and to the values of Mary's Meals are recognised through our Mary's Meals Outstanding Contribution Certificates. These awards celebrate children who go above and beyond in living out our school mission and Catholic Social Teaching.
Our Impact
Thanks to the generosity of our school community, we have raised:
£370
This has helped provide approximately:
3,700 Meals
And has enabled approximately:
19 Children to Receive Meals for a School Year
Based on Mary's Meals' current figures of approximately 10p per meal and £19.15 to feed a child for a school year.
Mary's Meals Impact Tracker
Meals Provided: 3700
Children Fed for a School Year: 19
Funds Raised: £370
Next Goal: 10,000 Meals
Progress: 37% Complete
Our tracker will be updated throughout the year as we continue our fundraising journey and work towards helping even more children access education through the gift of a daily meal.
Living Our Faith in Action
Supporting Mary's Meals helps us to put Catholic Social Teaching into action by responding to the needs of our global family. Through prayer, fundraising and service, our children learn that they can be agents of change and bring hope to others.
Together, we are answering the call to love our neighbour, serve those in need and make a difference in the world, one meal at a time.
"Together we learn, pray, serve and make a difference."
Looking Ahead
Our partnership with Mary's Meals is only just beginning. As we continue to grow as a Mary's Meals School, we are excited to build on our fundraising success and help even more children access education through the promise of a daily meal.
Our Future Goals
- Reach our next milestone of 10,000 meals provided.
- Increase child leadership opportunities through our Mary's Meals Leadership Team.
- Hold annual Lenten fundraising events led by children.
- Continue supporting Mary's Meals through prayer, awareness and action.
- Develop whole-school fundraising projects that involve every year group.
- Share regular updates through our Mary's Meals Impact Tracker.
Together, we hope to make an even greater difference in the lives of children around the world.
Children Voice
Reception
"I like helping children have food for school."
Year 1
"If children have food, they can learn and play."
Year 2
"Mary's Meals helps children feel happy and ready to learn."
Year 3
"I learned that a small donation can help lots of children."
Year 4
"Being in the Mary's Meals Leadership Team helps us teach others how to make a difference."
Year 5
"It's amazing to know our fundraising can help children go to school."
Year 6
"Leading our Lenten Fundraising Day showed us that we can use our gifts to help others."
Staff Voice
"We are incredibly proud of the commitment shown by our childrens. Their enthusiasm for supporting Mary's Meals demonstrates our school mission in action and helps our children understand that they can make a positive difference in the wider world."
How to Get Involved
Every member of our school community can play a part in supporting Mary's Meals.
Children Can:
✅ Join fundraising events
✅ Share ideas for future projects
✅ Support awareness campaigns
✅ Pray for children and families supported by Mary's Meals
Families Can:
✅ Support school fundraising events
✅ Attend community fundraising activities
✅ Talk about the work of Mary's Meals at home
✅ Donate or volunteer to support school initiatives
We have now met the criteria for the Mary’s Meal’s Bronze Award which we have now applied for.
Mary's Meals School Motto
"Living our faith in action through prayer, service and support for Mary's Meals."