for schools
Hugh Gibbons, Conductor (and indeed all of) Just1, says...
Over the years I've been happy to create for schools and others what I call fun with its sleeves rolled up.
So some simple resources are shown below for schools of all sorts interested in humanitarian and social justice issues. Some have been delivered in workshops or assemblies, some just suggested for schools to mull over and use as and when suits them.
They're all pretty simple and straightforward, designed not to be a burden on staff and students, and do-able without a budget but with a reasonable amount of time and enthusiasm.
If you want more information or have any helpful suggestions, do get in touch by hughgibbons@just1.org.uk
This page updated on
22 November 2025
The seven panels work as an ensemble, but also lift off to go for classroom discussion or displaying on a couple of tables.
And all the pictures are available as a completely free Powerpoint slideshow, ideal for showing a couple of sections at a time.
All at www.just1.org.uk/interrobang
HANDFULS OF
&
Handfuls of Small
Kindnesses - and Poetrees
are simple suggested variants of an uplifting
USA-born idea. They may bring a big
smile to UK students, teachers of
PSHE/RE/Humanities, chaplains, families, friends
- and all sorts other people, near and far.
Really, anyone can have a go. Handfuls is not so
much about anyone being kind as recognising and
appreciating the kindnesses that other people
around offer them - raising awareness of
everyday graciousness. It's simple, free, needs
no budget, and has no sacrosanct rules. Joining in just asks small
groups - such as school Years - to...
-
Read a short, world-admired poem - Small Kindnesses by Danusha Lameris
-
Watch out for a small kindness to appreciate - at school, at home, with friends, at work, in social activities, in jobs or leisure, here or anywhere
-
Collect them up - as a handful of kindnesses
-
Air and share with whoever, wherever, however, whenever - on paper, on-screen (and maybe as a home-grown Poetree display).
So it's an additional resource in teaching kindness - for example, as a contribution to PSHE or RE studies. And as it's for young people of all ages, it chimes well with the annual World Kindness Day each 13 November.
For full information,
including a PDF Briefing for page or screen,
simply go to the starting page
www.just1.org.uk/poetrees or the main
briefing
www.just1.org.uk/handfulsofkindness
A WhoArtful Gallery is a simple idea.
It's a
school’s collection of The Lord’s Prayer in
different languages
found among their pupils, families, friends, and
parishioners. Schools will have good ideas on
how to put theirs to use –
eg
displayed on paper or
screen; illustrated; read out in assembly or
class.
StandUp/SingOut Against Poverty
is a ready-to-run revival of my 2008-10 events in which hundreds of schools of all sorts and tens of thousands of pupils, staff, families and other took part around 17 October - the annual UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Anyone, anywhere is invited to find a few minutes at any time and setting that suits - to share the Promises to the Poor and the Count On Us Song. The Promises are based on the Sustainable Development Goals, examining different forms of poverty.
On the StandUp/SingOut website all is there - the words and music as PDF files, and also a PowerPoint slideshow.
Galleries of Good
Examples
are a collection of the simple artwork
I've produced over the last decade for schools
and churches.
They include: the large Romero Cross for St Francis of Assisi parish in Ascot, as a thank-you for 50 years of support for CAFOD; the Romero Galleries for St Margaret Clitherow Primary and St Joseph's church in Bracknell - both with figures specified by young people; and the Gallery of Greeters & Inspirers and World School Wall right along the railings outside St Joseph's Church, and glimpsed by tens of thousands of people.
The Adelante Gallery
is a unique piece of public art - good simply to
look at or study its four sides turned round.
It's an artful gallery of Unofficial Saints.
Adelante - Forward - was made to celebrate the
canonisation of St Oscar Romero in 2018, but was
updated in 2020 to include a panel on "the
saints next door".
Adelante is designed to travel happily in the back of the car, take up little floor space, and be wheeled around. It has been seen by several thousand pupils and parishioners, having long stays with big secondary and primary schools. Handy for a school workshop is the A-Z of Unofficial Saints, with pupils adding their own. Adelante is happy to be handled - the detachable panels encourage that - and includes dozens of quotes and stories, some spare socks for Romero donated by Churches Together in England, a sickle, and a 20mm cannon shell.
Full details are the PDF Guide at www.just1.org.uk/adelantegallery
The Paternoster Gallery
is a collection of the Lord's Prayer in about two dozen different languages - including Broad Yorkshire, Cheyenne, TXT, and Maori. The Gallery is on small wooden plaques with a graphic alongside the words. On the back is a detailed commentary on the language; and the sides have the translations for Water and Thank You. The Gallery can be happily handled or simply displayed on a table top using small stands, or on hung two at a time on wooden staves. The Paternosters have been used in school workshops and church displays.
You can see full details on a PDF at www.just1.org.uk/paternostergallery.
Schools Speak Out For
FairTrade
was created as a
resource around 2010 for schools and churches in support of
the FairTrade movement - including FairTrade
Fortnight and renewal of commitments. It looks
very clunky, but much is
still relevant. Everything
is at
www.just1.org.uk/fairtrade. And there's a
YouTube clip of all 60 pupils at St Joseph's
School at Hurst Green singing We're For
FairTrade to the tune of Big Ben - aimed at their
MP!
And Just1 is FairTrade, btw - via CAFOD!
NB There's a new take for parishes in 2024 - at www.just1.org.uk/fairtrade2024
