Over the course of this term, our boys have been collecting items to place in hampers for the families at Wymondley Road Primary School in Otara. The spirit and generosity of our School community towards creating these hampers at Christmas time is amazing and the boys loved watching the hampers build and grow in their classroom.

This week, the boys who received the Christian Living Award from each class, across all age groups, gathered up the 66 huge hampers, along with $2000 worth of meat pack vouchers that we raised at a recent mufti day, to deliver to Wymondley. It seemed as though the entire school community came out for the special assembly to welcome us.

After words of welcome from their Principal, Mr Pelu Leaupepetele, and his expression of thanks on behalf of his school community, their school choir sang two songs, including a traditional Samoan song. Following this, our boys were surprised when, in gratitude, the Wymondley students and parents came forward to place lolly leis around the boys’ necks. Our Year 1 boys almost disappeared under the weight of them!

Mr Leaupepetele explained that the leis symbolised eternal love, which is at the heart of the Christmas message and which, he said, their community was experiencing though the generosity of Saint Kentigern.

This was a very humbling, special experience for the boys, staff and the parents who accompanied the hampers this year. As Thomas Webster, a Year 8 boy said, ‘This is an experience that will stay with me forever.’

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