Good Morning Brown Clee!

We have been thinking of courage and self belief, and reflecting on our own uniqueness and how we should be proud of who we are!  Today I want to take you back in time to 1838, September the 7th to be precise, to the Farne Islands just off the coast of Northumberland,  where a young girl called Grace Darling lived with her family in a lighthouse.

Grace and her father saved 9 lives that night, and Grace received many awards for her bravery, as well as becoming famous.  But she didn’t do it for an award of fame and fortune – why do you think she did it?   She wasn’t worried for herself, she was just determined to save the shipwrecked sailors.

Grace was only 22 years old – she didn’t think she was anyone special, she was just the lighthouse keeper’s daughter – but one stormy night she did something exceptionally brave and heroic, something that she has been remembered for ever since…

I think this story just shows what you can achieve if you are brave and determined.  It doesn’t have to be saving lives, it could be as simple as over coming a fear of snakes, or riding a bicycle without stabilisers.  Being brave and courageous comes in many forms – and we are all have the potential to be as heroic as Grace Darling.

https://youtu.be/JBKxfad2G-s

Prayer of the Day

As we remember Grace Darling and her father,
we think of those today who brave frightening seas to help and rescue others.
May they be given the courage and wisdom they need in facing danger.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Amen.

We are getting closer to the 6th July, when we start Archie’s Kenyan Safari challenge, and travel the entire border of Kenya, a massive 2,141 miles in just 7 days!

We need everyone to take part….children, parents, brothers and sisters, staff and governors! We need everyone to do some walking, running, cycling, horse riding, swimming, and clock up the miles to raise money to support our school charity, the Karibuni Children.

We have already raised £492.50 but we want to get to £2141….a pound for every mile….so please help support us too…https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BrownCleeSchool

News of the challenge has even reached the communities that we are supporting in Kenya, as we have received this message from George, a social worker at the project in Tharaka….

“I appreciate the efforts of Archie. Miss Sue Relph thank you very much for raising this boy and supporting his ambitions of touching lives. Both you and the boy is an enough lesson for the world to learn. That touching lives require a willing heart and not material wealth. I have liked your organisational strategy as an administrator. The contribution of Brown Clee C.E. Primary school will make a huge impact to the vulnerable children in Kenya. They feel excited on the mention of your names. Plan through Joy and pay a visit to see things for yourself if an opportunity comes. You will confirm that your contribution touched needy children and made a recommendable change. Congratulations Archie, Miss Sue and the entire Brown Clee C.E. Primary School. Looking forward to meeting at God’s appointed time.”

So come on everyone in the Brown Clee Team, get yourselves warmed up for next week’s challenge….I know we can do it!

Today we have emailed a letter to parents of children who use or are entitled to school transport to help us with our planning for September. It is important that we get a reply by Friday 10th July, so please check your emails. If you haven’t received it please let us know and we will resend.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

Yesterday we learnt about the inpirational Ezra Frech, a young boy born with physical disabilities, but as a result of his outstanding courage and self-belief is an inspiration to us all.

What is Self Belief?  We might all have a different idea or definition.  In the Oxford dictionary it says that ‘Self Belief is having confidence in oneself”.  It can be difficult to have ‘confidence in oneself’ all the time – especially if you are trying something new and for the first time, or if you go somewhere new, like starting a new school, or visiting new people.  Can you think of any other examples when it might be difficult to believe in yourself?  I know I found it hard to believe that I would be able to swim in the deep end when I was young, as I was so scared about being out of my depth.  I didn’t believe that I could swim without armbands – but guess what – I could!

Here is a short film called ‘Piper’ about a hungry, young sandpiper hatchling who ventures from her nest for the first time to dig for food by the shoreline. The only problem is, the food is buried beneath the sand where scary waves roll up onto the shore.  Enjoy and have a think about how much self-belief does Piper have at the beginning – what is she scared of?  What changes and why?

Poor Piper – she was so hungry, yet so scared of the sea and didn’t really believe in herself, didn’t believe that she could catch food herself – until she watched the hermit crabs, and learnt from them.  She then discovered the wonderful underwater world – and after practice and trial and error, suddenly she was an amazing shell catcher!

What message have you learn from this?  Is there anything that you are finding difficult or challenging today, that with a little more self-belief, you might be able to overcome?

Enjoy this cheerful song, that reminds us that it doesn’t matter what the weather, sing along and smile!

https://youtu.be/73_y1ESHxqI

We also need to sing happy birthday to Millie and Poppy in Class 1, as today they are celebrating their 5th Birthday! Happy Birthday girls!

Prayer of the Day

Thank you, Lord,
that you promise to be with us always.
Thank you for the new beginnings
you give to us in our lives.
Help us to make the most of them,
to learn from them
and grow through them.
Help us to trust you as we step out into the future.
Amen.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

This half term our Christian value is Courage, and we have talked and thought about what courage is and how it can take many forms.  Today I’d like to think about how sometimes it can take courage to just be you!

We have talked about how we are all different, and how we should be proud of who we are, and that our differences make the world a much brighter and more interesting place.  But sometimes our differences can attract negative attention, and this can cause us to feel sad and lonely, and it might make us want to not try or give up – which is why it is so important to learn to be brave and be proud of who we all are – and always strive to be the best person we can be.

Here is the story of one 9 year old boy called Ezra – who is different because he only has one leg, but he has the most amazing outlook on life and immense courage….have a watch and see what you think (his story finishes at 3 minutes 47 seconds, but I don’t know (yet!) how to edit it to stop it there – sorry!)

Why is Ezra brave? How would you feel if you only had one leg or arm?   Could you be as brave as Ezra?  Ezra is rightly ok and happy with who he is and is an inspiration to us all……to be happy in who we are, to be confident and courageous about our differences and to appreciate our own individual lives….

We have another song to sing as well today as it is Rueben’s birthday today – so Happy Birthday Rueben!!

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Thank you that you have given us different things to be good at in our lives.
Please help each one of us to find something we are good at
and to get even better at it this week.
Help us to be brave and confident, and to keep going even when it’s hard.
Amen.