As we approach the festive season of Christmas, it is a source of great joy and hope for the future that the young pupils of Scoil Barra continue to take the Christmas message of goodwill very much to heart. Our Annual Christmas Shoe-Box Appeal on behalf of the Irish Christian Development Aid Charity, ‘Team Hope’ has been another resounding success thanks to the generosity of all our students and their families. The positive response from the Scoil Barra school community has meant that several hundred shoe boxes have been stacked, counted and collected from the school hall today. These beautifully wrapped, generous gifts will soon be making their way to Eastern Europe (Romania & Albania), to the former Soviet Union ( Kosova, Ukraine, Moldova, or to Africa (Burundi, Congo, Lesotho, Swaziland and Rwanda) in time for Christmas. We have been informed by Team Hope that the shoe boxes from Ireland will go to street children, orphans, children in hospital, poor families, victims of war or other needy situations in these countries. In tough recessionary times, this outpouring of goodness from the pupils of Scoil Barra is particularly touching. Many thanks to Ms. Sandra Quinlan and Ms. Rose Derham for spear heading this project on behalf of Scoil Barra’s Green School Committee as they strive to attain the school’s sixth consecutive Green Flag. This year’s theme of Global Citizenship enables the children to discover how Green Schools work has positively influenced people and environments worldwide. A particular word of thanks to the nine pupils from the Scoil Barra Green School Committee for their incredible assistance on the day. The spirit of volunteerism is definitely alive and well in Scoil Barra!
