Live Simply, Care Deeply
The LiveSimply Award recognises Catholic communities who choose to live sustainably, stand in solidarity with our global family, and care for our common home.
The Bishops of England and Wales encourage all parishes and schools to work towards the award as a way of “protecting this world which God has entrusted to us”. Learn more at CAFOD’s LiveSimply Award.
At St. James, we’re proud to have earned the LiveSimply Award. Our community worked hard to show how we live simply, sustainably and compassionately—standing alongside those most in need.
In 2024, a team of our pupils met CAFOD’s LiveSimply assessors, who praised how St. James is putting faith into action every day.
Our Nine Projects
To achieve the award, we embraced nine pupil‑led projects across three strands: Global, Local and School‑Led.
Global Projects
- CAFOD’s Big Walk: raising awareness by walking together for a better world.
- Fair Trade focus: pupil assemblies and selling Fair Trade Easter eggs to support farmers.
- Fix the Food System: letters to the World Bank urging fair, sustainable food policies for farmers.
Local Projects
- Mini Vinnies & Faith in Action: visiting care homes and community events, spreading friendship.
- Reuse & recycle pop‑up: collecting second‑hand items to share and reduce waste.
- Lenten Eco Promises: families making small changes to cut their carbon footprints.
School‑Led Projects
- The “Pledgehog”: a fun way to encourage everyone to protect the environment.
- Waste‑free lunches: rewarding pupils for caring for God’s creation.
- Daily Live Simply prayer: keeping our values alive in classrooms and collective worship.
Continuing the Journey
The spirit of the award continues at St. James, where we:
- Get Creative for Climate Justice with CAFOD initiatives.
- Tend our prayer garden as a place for quiet reflection.
- Support CAFOD’s Cancel Global Debt campaign.
- Donate to the Diocesan Justice & Peace Refugee Centre.
