Uplifting Lower School Harvest Service

Lower School pupils, staff and parents enjoyed a joyful and engaging Family Harvest Service in Oakham School Chapel full of competitions and reflections on what it means to give thanks for the harvest and the food we eat.

Led by Oakham School Chaplain Fr Tim Tregunno, the service included a performance of ‘I remember’ by Sarah Quartel by the Lower School Choir, the congregation singing Harvest Festival favourite hymns and Bible readings from the Lower School Heads of Houses. Fr Tim also shed new light on the significance of how we eat sherbet lemon sweets!

Prior to the service, Lower School pupils were tasked with selecting and purchasing tinned goods and non-perishable items, within a budget of £5.00, which would benefit families using the Rutland Foodbank. This Food Bank Challenge then required pupils to bring in their goods and receipts to School, which has resulted in the Lower School gathering over £750 worth of goods to be donated to the Rutland Foodbank.

Sargants House won the prize for gathering the greatest number of receipts, and in the individual competition, Form 1 pupil Tobie in Peterborough House won the best receipt overall in the Lower School.

During the Harvest Service, Lincoln House were declared winners of the annual Harvest Scarecrow Competition, which sees pupils from each House create a scarecrow for display in the Chapel. There was also an interhouse competition to build the tallest vegetable tower, which saw the team from Ancaster House triumph by 1cm!

Fr Tim said, “I would like to thank and congratulate our Lower School pupils for the care and thought that they have shown in gathering items for the Rutland Foodbank.”

“By sourcing and contributing these items themselves, rather than simply donating money, I hope our pupils can appreciate the value of thoughtful giving, at a time when our communities need Food Banks more than ever.”

Find out more about Rutland Foodbank and Charity Fundraising at Oakham School.