Lower 6th students from Austin Friars in Carlisle organised a talent show with a difference last week (Wednesday 12th of December) for the culmination of their Autumn National Citizen Service programme which requires participants to plan and deliver a Social Action Project.
Students from the School had previously spent time at a Carlisle City Council’s supported accommodation for women and families as part of their discovery phase of the NCS programme.
With Christmas approaching, they decided a way they could help, to tie in with their NCS journey, was to take the burden of providing Christmas presents off women with families who were facing challenging, and unsettled times.
A talent show was organised by the students in Lower 6th, in which pupils, staff, and even some parents took to the stage to pit their wares against each other. Instead of paying an entry fee, each member of the audience was asked to buy, and wrap, a present for a child, and label it with its suitable age range. They handed in these gifts in as an entry pass to the show.
The teams where delighted to present 162 Christmas gifts to Sigrid and Peter who were in attendance to receive the gifts on behalf of the accommodation. They were overwhelmed with the support from the NCS group and grateful that these donations will help families accessing their service over the festive period.
“This NCS wave were a pleasure to have on programme,” said Ashleigh Ward NCS Co-ordinator for Inspira.
“Seeing what they have given back to their local community is extremely humbling especially at such a special time of year. To plan and deliver a social action project which ensures that local homeless families wake up on Christmas morning to gifts is something that each and every one of them should be proud of.”
Some of the acts on display included ballet performances, magic tricks, singing and music performances and dance routines. A panel of judges scored each act, and the winner was Year 7 pupil, Amy Champion-MacPherson, for her ambitious song in Italian.