Penyffordd pupils receive teddy bear treats for lockdown resilience

Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Penyffordd School (FOPS), each of Ysgol Penyffordd's 327 pupils have been gifted custom teddy bears and stationery sets as a thanks for their extraordinary efforts during lockdown, and through an unusual and testing academic year.

FOPS ordinarily organises fund-raising events throughout the year, helping fund resources for the school such as books, outdoor classroom equipment, and the pirate ship on the new playground.

But this year, the parent-led group turned its attention to raising morale both for school pupils and Penyffordd residents by arranging a series of village-wide activities.

Having delivered Mother’s Day presents to isolating families at the start of the first lockdown in March 2020, the FOPS committee have since had to get creative with events in the past 12 months.

These included taking the lead on Hallowe’en and Christmas trails in the village, as well as snowman and pancake competitions to keep spirits high during lockdown.

FOPS also organised a comedy bingo event for Mother’s Day and, through the Easter holidays, two competitions with Easter Egg prizes for the winners.

Chloe (aged 4), Charlie (7), Thomas (4), Benjamin (5), Ella (11), Eleanor (8), and Mrs Jayne Mulvey, headteacher.

Jayne Mulvey, headteacher at Ysgol Penyffordd, thanked the FOPS Committee for their thoughtfulness in delivering the teddy bears to pupils.

She said: “We are very lucky as a school to have a wonderful FOPS Committee who work extremely hard to raise money which benefits all of the children.

“We have bought many resources including our pirate ship on the playground, which is loved by all."

She added: "FOPS organises many fund-raising events throughout the year, usually in school. Those events are well-attended and very much enjoyed.

“This year, they have had to think imaginatively about events which can be fun, enjoyable and safe, such as the Easter competition. They have yet again, succeeded in this and as a school community, we are extremely grateful.

“One thing which FOPS were keen to do was to thank the children for their resilience and hard work during lockdown, a time which has tested everyone.

“These teddies, which are wearing a school t -shirt, are a gorgeous gift for the children and have brought a smile to all of their faces. It’s a lovely idea and we once again thank them for their thoughtfulness.”

Chair of FOPS, Kayleen Jennings, said: “This year has been difficult for everybody in the village, and especially the school children.

“The school year has been disrupted and they have been forced to adapt to working from home, often without seeing their friends for months on end.

“With parents working from home too, there will have been a lot of upheaval at a scary time for these young children.

“In school they face extra challenges, returning to new classroom routines and having to adapt, and we as a FOPS committee wanted to reward their resilience.

“We’re very proud of their efforts, and those of the school staff too of course, and this was a small way in which we could say thank you.”

The teddy bear gifts.