The Diocese of Salford has presented each school with a Catholic Social Teaching Award. At the core of Catholic Social teaching is love – ‘let all that you do be done in love’ (1 Corinthians 16:14). With love in mind, the Diocese has asked schools to present this special Catholic Social Teaching award to pupils in recognition of outstanding achievement in putting love and faith into action. At Holy Cross and All Saints, we will be naming this award ‘The CARITAS Love in Action Award’. Once a month, this special award will be awarded to a deserving member of our school community, whether it be a staff member, pupil, family, or collective, for putting their faith and love into action. Everybody in our school community can nominate somebody for this special award. Parents can nominate via Google Classroom – there is a ‘Love in Action’ assignment assigned to every child, which can be submitted with any nominations. Children have special nomination sheets in their classrooms and staff will also put forward names of children to our GIFT CARITAS Ambassadors, who will work through all the nominations before deciding who is awarded the award. The recipient of the award will have their photo displayed on our special Plaque in school and take home a special certificate and ‘Love in Action’ badge for their school tie.

How to nominate?

To nominate a member of our school community to receive a CARITAS Love in Action Award, please complete the following form: CARITAS Love in Action Nominations

Below are our recent winners:
We are pleased to present our CARITAS Love in Action Award to one of our parents in recognition of her generous support for our school community. Following nominations from many members of staff, we would like to thank her for the time and care she gives to supporting families by interpreting at meetings and helping parents to communicate with school. She gives her time willingly, helping families to feel welcomed, understood and supported. Her kindness, generosity and commitment to helping others have made a real difference to many of our children and families, making her a very deserving recipient of this award.

We are pleased to present our CARITAS Love in Action Award to Mrs O'Shaughnessy in recognition of her commitment to our Catholic Life and Mission. As our Religious Education Lead, she works hard to ensure that faith is an important part of school life and supports both staff and pupils in their journey of faith. She leads our school's fundraising activities and coordinates our pupil ministries, giving children opportunities to put their faith into action and contribute to the wider school community. Mrs O'Shaughnessy's dedication and commitment make her a very deserving recipient of this award.

We are delighted to present our CARITAS Love in Action Award to Mrs Cookson, following the many heartfelt nominations received from both staff and children. Mrs Cookson consistently lives out our Catholic Life and Mission through her unwavering commitment to serving others with kindness, compassion and humility. She always puts the needs of our children and families first, offering thoughtful support, encouragement and care in everything she does. Her dedication, generosity of spirit and genuine love for our school community make her a shining example of Christ's love in action. Mrs Cookson is truly deserving of this recognition, and we are incredibly grateful for the difference she makes every single day.

Well done to one of our Reception children, who won the CARITAS Love in Action Award for giving up his free time to litter-pick in our local community. Litter picking aligns with the Catholic social teaching principles of Stewardship of God's Creation and The Common Good, rooted in Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' which calls for responsible care of the Earth and ensuring its resources are available for all people now and in the future. Litter picking also involves Participation in the community to create a better environment for others. 

Inspired by a visit from Mary's Meals to school, members of our GIFT team were inspired to fundraise, prioritising the needs of the poor in our world by showing the CST principle of Preferential Option for the Poor. They organised and led our school's fundraising for Mary's Meals, including a very successful Easter Raffle, and raised £500!