Catholic schools in tune against poverty

Many Catholic primary and secondary schools around the world have signed up to be part of a huge nationwide chorus to mark the annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Monday 17 October.

More than ten thousand pupils are already going to Stand Up & Sing Out Against Poverty. In the Catholic Diocese of Melbourne in Australia, the Justice & Peace team are inviting the 50,000 students who've previously joined in with their own Stand Ups. And the Anglican Bishop of Oxford has volunteered to sing the Count On Us Song before breakfast as an encouragement to his flock.

In recent years, tens of thousands of schoolchildren, teachers, parents and parishioners have taken part in the Just1 Stand Up Against Poverty organised by Hugh Gibbons, a CAFOD schools volunteer in Bracknell. This has been a UK contribution to the annual global call for social justice, supported by nearly 200 million people in 100+ countries.

Many schools found a few minutes to affirm the Promises to the Poor, based on the Millennium Development Goals.

For this year, Hugh has created something new to let even more be in tune -the short and simple song called Count On Us. "It takes about 30 seconds to learn the tune, and three minutes to stand up, speak up, sing out, reach out, and shout out against poverty - with actions. So with the Promises it's a useful complement to other RE and PSHE activities, and is a ready-made assembly."

There's no set time or place. Anyone can sing out any time during the Day - or in the week beforehand if that suits better. Parishes may also want to join in at Mass that weekend, perhaps involving their musicians.

Hugh's website includes not only the words and basic tune, but arrangements for piano, orchestral strings, rock ensembles, and wind bands; and a simple on-line registration form by which Hugh can get some idea of the numbers taking part.

He says: "Sing Out has also opened many doors. It's been good to have kind encouragement from diocesan education teams, Sing Up, Girl Guides, the Church Army in New Zealand - and even the British Antarctic Survey, seeking a most southerly singer."

Good Sports might like to Sing the Song for a Pound in person or by phone to friends, neighbours and work colleagues - in return for a donation to an aid agency. Hugh has set up special Justgiving pages for on-line donations to CAFOD, SCIAF, Christian Aid and Unicef.

Full details including paper and slideshow versions of the Song and Promises are available at www.just1.org.uk/singoutagainstpoverty or contact hughgibbons@just1.org.uk