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Dear Parents
This morning, Fairseat Hall became the studio for Harvest Live!: the show where food, gratitude and kindness are always in season. With our Head Girls, Ottie and Sofia, alongside Miss Wright (Assistant Head CoCurricular) and Miss Bones (Deputy Head Academic), we had breaking news, a live report from the ‘farm’, a distinctly unreliable British weather forecast, an advert for ‘Instant Harvest’ and even Who Wants to Be a Harvest Millionaire? Sadly, despite Miss Bones’ enthusiasm, the promised jackpot of one million carrots never quite materialised. Amidst all the fun was a simple question: how often do we stop to notice the ordinary things we have every day?
We began with a piece of toast. Before it reaches our breakfast table, someone has prepared the soil, planted and cared for the crop, harvested the wheat, transported it, milled it into flour, made the dough, baked the bread, packed it and delivered it. Something very ordinary suddenly seemed rather extraordinary.
We also thought about the patience and perseverance involved in growing anything. Farmers can prepare carefully and work incredibly hard, but they cannot control the sunshine, rain or wind. When things do not go to plan, they adapt and try again, which gave us a perfect opportunity to call upon Perseverance Squirrel and Resilience Robin.
And there was an important parallel for the girls: plants grow slowly – and so do we. We may not notice ourselves becoming a little braver, kinder, more independent or more resilient from one day to the next, but every time we try again, tackle something difficult or choose to be 10% braver, we grow.
Our most important Harvest message, however, came down to just three words: NOTICE. THANK. SHARE.
NOTICE: Notice what we have – and notice other people.
THANK: Be thankful for the everyday things we can so easily take for granted.
SHARE: And share when we can, because something small to us can mean a great deal to somebody else.
This final message is one we are putting into action through our Harvest collection for the The Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation (AWTF), which will continue until Friday 9 October. AWTF supports families experiencing food poverty, and we are delighted that our Harvest celebrations can make a practical difference to people in our wider community.
If you are able to contribute, we would be very grateful for donations of long-life items such as washing tablets, tinned and canned produce, pasta and sauces, rice, spices, olive oil, juice, stock, cereals, sugar, salt, tea and coffee. Please ensure that all food is within its sell-by and use-by dates, as AWTF is unable to distribute fresh or expired produce. Donations can be placed in the blue labelled Food Bank collection bins in the courtyard at the front of school.
This collection gives us an important opportunity not only to support families who are struggling, but also to help the girls understand that social responsibility begins with noticing the needs of others and choosing to do something about them.
In assembly, I held up one donated item. On its own, it did not look like very much. But one joined another, and another, and then hundreds more. It was a wonderful visual reminder of what a community can achieve when each person decides, “I can help.”
Thank you to all our families who have already donated, and to everyone who is able to contribute before Friday 9 October. Through your generosity, the girls can see Empathy Rabbit and Responsibility Badger coming to life: making a difference does not always begin with a grand gesture. Very often, it begins with one small act of kindness followed by another.
Perhaps our Harvest challenge is one for all of us. The next time we see something completely ordinary: a piece of toast, an apple, our lunch or our dinner, stop for just a moment. Notice. Thank. Share. Happy Harvest!
With warmest wishes
Miss Dina Hamalis
Head of the Junior School
