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Students at Catholic schools across our diocese, including those at Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove, are taking part in CAFOD’s Big Lent Walk this year.

The Newman students visited St Mary Magdalen Church before walking back to school. Fr Alphonse Kabore, from St Mary Magdalen’s, joined the young people and highlighted the importance of clean water for communities around the world. This week, Newman College students will be “walking for water” in solidarity with those who walk miles each day just to access safe water. So far, Newman students have raised nearly £900. Click here to visit the school’s JustGiving page.

23 Catholic schools in our diocese — the highest number ever — have signed up for CAFOD’s Big Lent Walk this year than ever before and over 760 schools nationwide are taking part in the charity’s annual fundraising challenge, walking 200km over 40 days. Other schools, including St Dunstan’s, Woking, and St George’s Junior School, Weybridge, are doing fun runs in support of CAFOD’s work.

At St Clement's Catholic Primary School, Ewell, children took part in the Big Lent Walk on 25 March, with the school announcing on Instagram:

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"Together, we walked to raise money to support farmers in providing for their families. This links beautifully to our Catholic Social Teaching principles of Stewardship—caring for our common home—and Solidarity—standing together with those in need. We are delighted to share that we have raised £209 so far! It would be wonderful to reach our target of £231, which would enable us to support a farmer for a whole year. Thank you for your continued generosity and support"

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In the final weeks of term, more schools across our Diocese participated in CAFOD’s Big Lent Walk, raising funds for CAFOD’s vital work around the world, including Salesian School, Chertsey; Annecy Catholic Primary School, Seaford; The Marist, West Byfleet and Sacred Heart, Wadhurst. By the end of term, the Marist community in West Byfleet had already raised over £1500!

Year 7 students at Salesian School, Chertsey took part in The Big Lent Walk,  with the school reporting on Instagram that

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“[they used] tutor time to walk and reflect on the importance of slowing down, supporting one another, and carrying kindness with us throughout the season. We’re proud of our students for embracing this moment of community and faith.”

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At Sacred Heart, Wadhurst, the whole school community came together for the Big Lent Walk in support of CAFOD. On Instagram, the school reported that:

“Children walked around the school grounds while learning about CAFOD’s Floating Gardens Project, which helps communities in Bangladesh affected by flooding caused by climate change. The CAFOD Club did a fantastic job organising the event and presenting the project to the whole school. All children created beautiful floating prayer flowers - symbols of hope and prayer for families around the world. Through this event, our children truly put their faith into action, supporting those in need and living out the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Option for the Poor. ”

Parish groups and individual parishioners are also joining in the Big Lent Walk, including Thereza from St Dunstan’s Church, Woking, who asks her supporters to “Think about some people who live in a rural community in southern Ethiopia and have to walk for six hours every day to collect clean water.”

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Sources: Cardinal Newman School; CAFOD; St Clement's; Salesian School; Annecy Catholic Primary School; The Marist; Sacred Heart