The DOVES are our school service team comprised of children from Year 5 and Year 6. DOVES stands for Demonstrating Our Values (through) Evagelisation (and) Service. The DOVES team take the lead on promoting our school values and organising child-led worship. They meet together at lunchtimes to plan and deliver Prayer and Liturgy activities throughout the school as well as developing further links with our parish community and taking the lead on some charity fundraising. They are wonderful role models for our school and live in 'St Teresa's Little Way' in everything they do.
During the last few years, The DOVES team have worked incredibly hard to serve our school community. For example, they have:
- Led half termly Parish Sunday Masses as DOVES 'Takes Over' Masses.
- Lead the way as we achieved the CAFOD Live Simply Award.
- Met with Service Teams from our Cluster Primary Schools and taken part in retreat days at St Peter's High School.
- Supported the Senior Leadership Team to plan and deliver the liturgy for whole school Masses at St Teresa's church.
- Planned and delivered the liturgy for a weekend parish Mass on the theme of 'Living Simply'.
- Helped to organise the Christmas and Lenten Markets in order to raise money for charity.
- Organised the Harvest Foodbank collection.
- Supported teachers in delivering Prayer and Liturgy.
- Helped to organise Lenten actvities, including the Missio 'Lent through a Lens' competition.
To celebrate St Teresa's Feast Day and Father Philip's Ruby Anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood, the DOVES staged a Take Over at the Sunday Family Mass. We were joined by our Senior DOVES (Year 7 pupils who are completing their Faith In Action Bronze Award with us). The DOVES chose the hymns, read the readings and bidding prayers and also spoke about St Teresa during the Homily. They helped with the collection, led the offertory and dressed the altar. They also led the congregation in a rousing rendition of 'Rise and Shine!' At the end of Mass, Fr Philip was presented with gifts from the parish and we all enjoyed a celebratory buffet in the hall afterwards. Congratulations Father Philip and thank you for everything you do for us - you are in inspiration to us all.
We have enjoyed a bumper harvest in our orchard this year! We've had an abundance of delicious plums, apples and pears. Year 5 helped Pre-School to harvest the fruit and our DOVES team has been busy selling the fruit after school on the playground and in church. Any donations raised will go towards our 'Forest School Fund' to enable our children to continue to enjoy using our fabulous Forest School.
Donation to Mary's Meals
