PUPILS at a community-minded school with a big heart have been putting their best foot forward to raise money for charity.
Before finishing for Easter, All Saints Catholic College in Dukinfield completed the ‘Big Lent Walk’ and a pilgrimage in support of their faith.
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) – the official aid agency of the Catholic church in England and Wales – are aiming to get thousands of teams to join together by walking and fundraising to raise awareness of inequalities across the world during Lent.
Lent is a 40-day period of reflection, repentance and preparation for Easter observed by many Christians, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on the eve of Good Friday, during which people often fast, pray, give up something or give to charity.
The money the school has raised – the amount is still to be confirmed – will go to CAFOD to support its fight against global poverty and work with local partners to help overseas communities.
Pupils in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 completed the walk by doing several laps of the school field, receiving sponsors from parents and carers.
Some students and staff also embarked on a pilgrimage to celebrate the year of the Jubilee.
In the Catholic church, Jubilees or Holy Years are special years of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The Jubilee has the theme ‘pilgrims of hope’ and the logo shows people coming from the four corners of the earth in solidarity.
Those taking part met with other pupils from schools across the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust.
They came together at the Shrine of the Eucharist at St Joseph’s RC Church in Stockport at the end of their walk from Woodley train station to celebrate Mass.
Over the course of the lent walks and pilgrimage, it means the pupils have travelled approximately 1,300 miles – which marks the distance to Assisi in Italy. This is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimages in Europe, as it is the hometown of Saint Francis. The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is the main attraction in Assisi, where you can venerate the saints.