Faith in Action – Living Our Mission

“We care, we belong, we learn together in faith.”

At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Frizington, our Catholic faith is at the heart of everything we do. Inspired by Jesus Christ, we believe that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves dignity, compassion, kindness and love.

Jesus tells us:

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40

These words inspire our children to recognise that faith is not simply something we learn about or celebrate in prayer. Faith is something we live through our actions.

As a small village school, we are proud of the difference our children make, both within Frizington and across the wider world.

Through fundraising, volunteering, prayer, caring for creation and supporting people in need, our pupils learn that even the smallest act of kindness can make a difference.

Our charitable work is rooted in Scripture, the teachings of Jesus and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. It grows naturally from our Religious Education, following To Know You More Clearly, and our prayer and liturgical life, shaped by To Love You More Dearly.

From Scripture to Action

Before charitable activities, we explore the Bible stories that inspire us. During our activities, we encourage children to think about whom they are helping and why. Afterwards, we reflect on the difference our actions have made.

We encourage our pupils to ask:

• What does Jesus teach us?

• Who needs our help?

• How can we put our faith into action?

• What difference have we made?

Catholic Social Teaching – Putting Love into Action

Catholic Social Teaching helps our children understand that we all have a responsibility to build a fairer, kinder and more compassionate world.

Through our community and charitable activities, children learn about human dignity, solidarity, the common good, care for our common home, participation and our responsibility to support people who are poor or vulnerable.

These principles are not simply displayed around our school. We aim to make them visible through the choices and actions of our children.

 

Caring for Our Local Community

Our Village – Caring for God's Creation

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
Genesis 1:31

Catholic Social Teaching: Care for Our Common Home

Frizington is a small, close-knit community, and our children are proud to play an active part in village life.

Our pupils take part in litter picks, visit local residents and share cards and seasonal gifts. We regularly receive lovely feedback from members of our community about the children's kindness, manners and behaviour.

During the Great Cumbrian Litter Pick, children and parent volunteers worked together to improve our local environment.

What made this particularly special was what happened afterwards.

Our children asked if litter picking could become part of Friday Walking Club because they wanted to continue looking after their village.

 This showed us that caring for God's creation had become something the children genuinely wanted to do, rather than simply an activity organised by adults.

Our impact: A one-off environmental event developed into an ongoing, pupil-driven commitment to caring for our community.

Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching

Everything below is an expression of one or more of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Christ is at the heart of our school, and these principles shape how our children see the world and their place in it.

Our Parish – One Family in Faith

“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2

Catholic Social Teaching: Community and the Common Good

Our close partnership with the parish of St Mary and St Joseph is central to the Catholic life and mission of our school.

Our children are active members of the parish family, participating in Mass, prayer, celebrations and opportunities to serve others.

Each year, we celebrate St Joseph's feast days together. The whole school attends Mass, and families are invited to join us afterwards for refreshments and fellowship.

Children make St Joseph's Day cards, which are shared with parishioners at Sunday Mass, bringing joy and strengthening relationships between generations.

Father Paul is a regular and valued visitor to school. He recently blessed our new prayer room, helping us recognise this as a special place for prayer and reflection.

Our school community hall also hosts monthly parish coffee mornings, providing opportunities for friendship, conversation and support.

Through these experiences, children learn that belonging to the Church means being part of a wider family where we care for and support one another.

Find out more about our parish: https://www.stmarysandstjosephs.com/

Spreading Christmas Joy

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace.”
Luke 2:14

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity and the Common Good

Each December, groups of children visit local care homes, including Emmaus House in Moresby and The Gables in Whitehaven, to sing Christmas carols and spend time with residents.

These visits are about much more than singing. They provide opportunities for children to show kindness, listen to others and recognise the importance of friendship across generations.

One resident told us:

“Well, that has made my Christmas, thank you!”

Our children returned knowing that their time, smiles and conversation had brought happiness to others.

Working with Cumbria Police

“Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Matthew 5:9

Our local Police Community Support Officer, Claire, regularly visits school to help children understand how to keep themselves and others safe.

These visits encourage pupils to recognise their responsibilities as members of the community and consider how their actions contribute to making Frizington a safer and happier place.

Supporting Our Families

“Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Mark 12:31

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity and the Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

At St Joseph's, we believe that caring for our community also means supporting families through difficult times.

We work with local organisations to make practical help accessible in a familiar, welcoming environment.

Our support includes:

• Drop-in sessions with the Credit Union, Citizens Advice and Social Prescribing services.

• Signposting families to support through the JOY app.

• Working with the Digital Poverty Alliance to help families access digital devices.

• Free breakfast club provision.

• Our community food pantry through neighbourly.

• Subsidised events to help families participate in school and community life.

These initiatives reflect our belief that every family deserves dignity, understanding and opportunities to flourish.

Our impact: Families have been able to access advice and practical support within their own community.

One family shared positive feedback following our first drop-in session, "The ladies helped me with my bills and saved me a fortune!"

Helping Others – Locally and Across the World

Mary's Meals – Every Child Deserves a Meal

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”
Matthew 25:35

Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity and the Option for the Poor

Each year, our children take part in a sponsored Santa Dash to raise money for Mary's Meals, an international charity working to provide meals for children in places of education.

Through this fundraising, pupils learn that children around the world are part of our human family and that we have a responsibility to help those experiencing poverty.

Our Santa Dash is a wonderful example of children putting Jesus' teaching into action while enjoying an exciting community event.

Our impact: £960 raised at our most recent Santa Dash.

Using the charity's £20-per-child annual fundraising figure, this is equivalent to supporting meals for 48 children for a year – the same number of children as in our school!

This helps our pupils understand the real difference their efforts can make.

. Visit the website here.

Impact: This year we raised £960 at the most recent Santa Dash, and this could feed 48 children for a year - exactly the same amount of children as are in our school. 

North Lakes Foodbank

Scripture: The Feeding of the 5,000 – John 6:1–14

Catholic Social Teaching: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Each autumn, our school community collects food donations for North Lakes Foodbank, supporting local people experiencing financial hardship or crisis.

Stuart, the charity's school worker, visits our children to explain the importance of the foodbank and how our donations help families.

The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 reminds us that when people share what they have, wonderful things can happen.

Our children learn that generosity is not about how much we give, but about our willingness to help.

Our impact: A number of boxes of food donated this year.

Find out more: https://www.thefoodbank.org.uk/

Our Community Food Pantry – Sharing and Reducing Waste

“Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
John 6:12

Catholic Social Teaching: Care for Our Common Home and the Option for the Poor

Through our partnership with Aldi's Neighbourly scheme, we collect surplus food twice each week.

This food is used to support our school, families and the wider community.

Our pantry reflects two important aspects of Catholic Social Teaching: caring for people experiencing hardship and protecting God's creation by reducing food waste.

It is a practical example of our mission in action, showing that sharing resources can benefit both people and the planet.

Hospice at Home West Cumbria – Caring for Others

“Carry each other's burdens.”
Galatians 6:2

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity and Solidarity

Each year, we hold a coffee afternoon to support  a cancer charity who work in  West Cumbria, a charity close to the hearts of our school community  last year it was Hospice at Home, this year it was Breast Cancer Support group.

Through this event, children and families learn about the importance of compassion, supporting those experiencing illness and helping families through difficult times.

Our fundraising reflects Jesus' example of caring for people with kindness, dignity and love.

Find out more: https://hospiceathomewestcumbria.org.uk/

Sightsavers – Children Leading Change

Scripture: Jesus Heals Bartimaeus – Mark 10:46–52

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity, Solidarity and Participation

One of our proudest examples of Faith in Action has been our children's support for the parish Sightsavers appeal.

What made this campaign particularly meaningful was that the children took the initiative themselves.

They organised assemblies, designed posters and spoke confidently to other pupils about why supporting people affected by preventable blindness mattered.

This was not simply fundraising organised for the children. It was a campaign led by the children themselves.

Through their actions, pupils demonstrated compassion, leadership, confidence and a desire to make a difference.

Our impact: £90 raised to support people affected by preventable blindness.

This is a wonderful example of our children recognising a need and responding through their own actions.

entirely off their own initiative. They organised assemblies, created posters, and spoke confidently to other pupils about why the appeal mattered.

Impact: £90 raised to help people living with preventable blindness — a pupil-led campaign from start to finish.

Operation Christmas Child – Sharing Love Across the World

“Love one another as I have loved you.”
John 13:34

Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity and Human Dignity

Each year, our School Council helps organise our support for Operation Christmas Child.

Children work together to fill shoeboxes with gifts and personal messages for children facing difficult circumstances around the world.

Through this activity, pupils learn about the experiences of other children and the importance of generosity, empathy and kindness.

Our children recognise that small gifts, given with love, can bring joy to someone they may never meet.

 

Friends of Frizington – Building Community and Belonging

Scripture: The Early Christian Community – Acts 2:42–47

Catholic Social Teaching: Community, Participation and the Common Good

At St Joseph's, we recognise that strong relationships between home, school, parish and community help everyone flourish.

Our Friends of Frizington group, founded and led by our Headteacher, Miss Annette Savage, brings together families, parishioners, staff and local residents to strengthen community life.

Through coffee mornings, social gatherings, seasonal celebrations, fundraising events and community activities, the group provides opportunities for people to come together, build friendships and support one another.

Many activities take place in St Joseph's Community Hall, helping our school remain a welcoming centre of village life.

The early Christians shared what they had and supported one another. Through Friends of Frizington, we seek to live out this same spirit of fellowship, generosity and service.

Our children see adults working together for the common good and learn that building a caring community is everyone's responsibility.

Would you like to get involved?

Everyone is welcome. Search for Friends of Frizington on Facebook or contact the school office for details of upcoming activities.

Through this partnership, we continue to live our mission: 

"We care, we belong, we learn together in faith."

Want to get involved? New faces are always welcome — search "Friends of Frizington" on Facebook or speak to the school office for details of upcoming events.

Our Children – Living the Mission

At St Joseph's, we want every child to understand that they are never too young to make a positive difference.

Whether they are raising money, caring for our environment, helping younger pupils, supporting a charity, praying for others or simply showing kindness, our children are learning to follow Jesus' example.

We are particularly proud when children identify opportunities to help others themselves, demonstrating that the Gospel values they learn are becoming part of the way they live.

Our mission is not simply words on a wall. It is visible in our relationships, our decisions and our actions.

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:18

 

Our Faith in Action This Year 2026 - 2027

At St Joseph's, our faith is alive in everything we do! Throughout the year, our children take part in a wide range of activities that help them put Jesus' teachings into action, showing kindness, compassion and generosity to others.

From supporting local charities and caring for our village to helping people across the world, every activity is an opportunity to live out our school mission: “We care, we belong, we learn together in faith.”

We are especially proud when our children take the lead, recognising where help is needed and finding their own ways to make a difference.

Below, we will share our Faith in Action journey throughout the school year, celebrating our events, photographs, children's reflections and the positive difference we make together.

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:18

Small school, big hearts – putting our faith into action!