On 28 October, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with winds of up to 185mph, devastating communities across the island. Homes, hospitals, schools and infrastructure were destroyed, 32 lives were lost, and around 1.5 million people were affected. The scale of the damage was immense, and the long road to recovery is still ongoing.
At S. Anselm’s, we wanted to show our support to those impacted. Thanks to the generosity of our school families, we were able to collect aid to help communities in need. A group of Year 6, 7 and 8 pupils worked enthusiastically to sort and organise the donated items, while parents gave their time to pack the barrels and complete the necessary customs documentation. The aid was then shipped to Montego Bay with the support of Transpak.
Alongside this practical support, pupils have been learning about Hurricane Melissa in their lessons, exploring both the physical damage caused by the storm and its human impact. Understanding global events like this helps our students to develop empathy, awareness and a sense of responsibility as global citizens, and to see how small actions can make a meaningful difference.
In May, the barrels were released from customs and delivered to Unity Primary School. To mark this moment, we held a special assembly featuring a live video call with teachers and pupils from the school. Hearing first-hand accounts brought the reality of the hurricane to life for our students and showed them the real impact of their efforts.
This project highlighted an important message: even from across the globe, we can come together to support others and create positive change. We are incredibly proud of our pupils, families and wider community for their compassion and commitment, and we send our very best wishes to the people of Jamaica as they continue to recover and rebuild.
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