Pupils at North Cerney Primary Academy, near Cirencester, have been presented with a Bronze Award from Christian Aid’s Global Neighbours Scheme for their global citizenship work.

From raising money for earthquake survivors and campaigning to local government for more bins in the village to writing persuasive letters about an issue of justice, pupils and staff at a North Cerney primary academy have been working hard to take their place as global citizens.

The Global Neighbours accreditation programme celebrates schools which are helping pupils learn about global poverty and the Christian responsibility to tackle it, as well as giving them the tools to play a confident part in creating a fairer world.

Eleanor de Carles, the Global Neighbours lead for North Cerney Primary Academy said: “We are delighted to be recognised for the work we have done as a whole school to raise awareness of the inequalities across our globe and perhaps more importantly, the steps we can take to address these.

"The pupil’s understanding of global issues and injustice in our world has improved alongside their eagerness to support others. Our world is increasingly connected and our hope is for our children to grow as responsible global citizens who care about issues such as the environment and access to healthcare. The children have especially enjoyed seeing the impact of raising their concerns about littering around our village with our MP which then resulted in the local council providing a new bin.”

Alison Brown, Global Neighbours Schools Programme Officer at Christian Aid, said: “The Global Neighbours Scheme was launched with a vision of helping young people understand more about the inequalities in this world and helping them to become courageous advocates for change.

“It’s wonderful to see how staff and pupils at North Cerney Primary Academy have taken this to heart and are seeking to tackle injustice."