Stretford schoolchildren pen love notes in aid of British Heart Foundation (From Messenger Newspapers)

Stretford schoolchildren pen love notes in aid of British Heart Foundation

9:00am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News

STRETFORD schoolchildren have been thinking about the people they love - to help raise money for a heart charity.

Pupils from St Teresa’s RC Primary School, Stretford, and members of playgroup Children’s Choice Child Care have linked up with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop in Stretford Mall to support its annual Love Notes fundraising campaign.

Their efforts have helped the busy Stretford Mall store raise more than £500 and have also given the children the chance to let the special people in their lives know that they love them.

For the past few weeks, customers have been encouraged to donate £1 and in return they have been able to write a message of love on heart shaped Love Notes, which have been displayed in the shop’s window.

One of the shop’s dedicated volunteers, Zoe McKenzie, asked her six-year-old son Saul’s school to support the campaign and St Teresa’s was only too happy to oblige.

Sonja Dagens, year two teacher at the school in Firswood, Stretford, said: “We incorporated the Love Notes into a religion and PHSE lesson where I asked the children to think about the people who are close to them, who they love and what those people mean to them.

“I gave them the weekend to think about it and then we talked together about who we might pick.

"Then we settled down to writing our Love Notes so it was also a good opportunity for the children to practise their best handwriting.”

All the children paid a small donation and in return were able to attend their class dressed in something red to further show their support for the well known charity which raises cash for pioneering research, prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for those battling heart disease.

The Love Notes were then displayed for the children’s loved ones to see at the Stretford Mall store.

Colin McCrory, Stretford Mall manager, said: “The Stretford Mall is at the heart of the community and so it is terrific to see local schoolchildren supporting our BHF store in this way.

“They should be very proud of the money they have helped to raise. Their hard work created a heart warming display in the window and I am sure lots of our shoppers enjoyed reading them.”

Kiera Morgan Barrett, seven, from Stretford, took her mum Donna Johnson to see her handiwork.

Her Love Note read: “To my Mum and Dad. You make me giggle. Love Kiera.”

Kiera said: “I wrote about my mum and dad because they are special to me, because they do things for me, they give me nice presents and let my friends stay over sometimes.”

Also delighted with the display was Stretford Mall BHF shop manager Ann Long who said: “This is the first time I have ever done the Love Notes campaign with a school and it has worked really well.

“It has been a pleasure to see the parents and grandparents all coming and stopping to read the lovely notes left by the children and some have them come into the shop which is always a bonus.

“We have only been open at Stretford Mall since September but the support has been excellent and the shop is doing really well.

“We are always looking for more volunteers and donations and people can just pop into the shop to see me about either.

“Alternatively, if it is difficult to people to bring donations in personally, we do have a free pick up service which can be arranged by calling 0161 864 1098.”