Dear Parents,

We welcome you, your child and your wider family to Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School.

We consider it a privilege to share with you in the education and development of your child.

The quality of education is a high priority in the environment of O.L.Q.P. School where we value and nurture the dignity of every person. We also value and nurture the gifts and talents which each child, parent and staff member brings to our school.

We hope that all who come to Our Lady Queen of Peace School see Christ reflected in the people, structures and programs of our school.

Sung to the Glory of God

Built on Truth our school stands before you,
God, Creator, Father and friend.
We strive to live as your children,
One in love with Jesus our friend.

Jesus we love you, this is true
Jesus, bless our school with peace.
Jesus, we love you, this is true.
Jesus, bless our school with peace.

Holy spirit bless and protect us.
Fire us with the gifts of God’s grace
Come to us when words may fail us
So our lives show courage and faith.

Bless our school, our teachers and students
Call us all to live for the truth
That together as an example
We will show your love and your truth.

This is our school
Let Peace dwell here.
Let the rooms be full of contentment.
Let love abide here.
Love of one another,
Love of all people,
Love of God and
Love of life itself.
Let us remember that
As many hands build a house
So many hearts make a school.

Please note: it is important to establish good habits by ensuring children arrive at school on time. Any child arriving at school after 8:55 or leaving before 3:05pm require a note (these are available from the school office).

Merit Cards

Merit cards are awarded at module assemblies. Children may receive these awards for classroom achievements, encouragement or kind actions. It is hoped that every child would have the opportunity to receive a merit card during the year, for positive reinforcement.

Academic Achievement Awards

These are presented by the Principal at the Monday morning assembly. Twice each term one child is chosen by the class teacher to receive this award for academic achievement.

Uniform Awards

These are presented by the Principal at the Monday Morning assembly. Two children from each class are selected by the class teacher to receive these.

Class Awards

Teachers are encouraged to use positive reinforcement wherever possible and are free to use stickers, award cards etc. in the classroom.

Principal’s Award

These are presented by the Principal at Monday morning assembly and are nominated by the class teacher.

In the event of your child being absent from school, it is necessary that a note of explanation be forwarded to the class teacher on the day of your child’s return to school. Should your child be absent for more than three days, please notify the school office by telephone. Forward a written note to the class teacher on the day of your child’s return to school. Coming late or leaving early needs to be substantiated with a note/leave form from the parents. Leave forms are available from the office.

Regular assemblies are held at OLQP to give information, celebrate achievements and share events and learning. Assemblies include:

• Whole school assembly - each Monday morning.
• Module assemblies –once a term for each module. The details are advertised in the school newsletter.

Many special assemblies such as sport assemblies and prayer assemblies are advertised through the newsletter as well.

This service is available through the Council at

• Ringrose Public School – 9636 6586,
• Possum Place – 9688 1618
• Greystanes Uniting Church – 9636 3246
• Westmead Child Care Centre – 9896 7099

All these centres collect the children from the school grounds and escort them to their respective care places.

Both of these are celebrated at OLQP. Events are always advertised well ahead and parents are warmly encouraged to join in with the activities.

To assist with the administration of money matters at school, parents are asked to follow these guidelines.

• All money sent with children for school fees, activities and excursions should be in an envelope with your child’s name, class, amount and purpose clearly marked.
• This envelope is deposited in the school money box located in the student entry upon arrival at school. No money should be taken into classrooms or handed to teachers by students.
• Where possible send the correct amount.
• Parents may pay school fees directly to the school office.

The preferred method of payment is via EFTPOS.

The main fund raising body within the school is the Parents and Friends Association (P&F). The P&F follows the constitutional guidelines of the Diocese and supports the social, material and educational well being of the school community. As well as liaising between the parish, the school and sub committees, it coordinates and encourages parental involvement in:

• ongoing activities e.g. working bees
• major projects e.g. playground development
• fund raising e.g. fete

The P&F executive consists of 12 members - the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and 8 other parents. These are elected by the parent body at the Annual General Meeting held each year in November. All parents are eligible to be nominated for positions on the executive.

Parents are invited to attend the general meetings held each term. These are advertised through the newsletter.

Parents are active tutors in individual class programs and are important participants in our policy development committees. Each year parents are invited to become involved in their children’s education through various activities at the school. Recent legislation requires all people working with children to sign a declaration form indicating that they are not a prohibited person.

All parent helpers at OLQP are also required to attend Child Protection Information Sessions run in the school by the Principal. Details of these are published in the school newsletter.

When helping in the classroom, parents are asked to collect and wear a parent helper badge available from the office.

During the year, teachers take classes on excursions or have performers come to the school. These are planned to enhance a particular unit of work and form an important part of the child’s education. It is necessary that all children attend excursions so we endeavour to keep costs to a minimum. Permission notes and money must be returned for a child to attend an excursion.

OLQP's library has a large collection of fiction and non fiction books to suit all reading and interest levels in the school.

The library is fully computerised and the children are encouraged to use the computers to search for references as well as to borrow and return books.

The library serves as a support to the learning processes of the classroom as well as a very important recreational facility to the children of OLQP.

Each class has a library period each week during which the children are encouraged to select and borrow books. Time is also spent with the Teacher Librarians looking at information skills. Primary classes are also allocated a research block in which they may work with the Librarian on locating and using information.

The Library is open from 8:30am till 3:05pm (it is closed during recess). Children may use the Library during lunch times as an alternative activity area to the playground: they are able to read, work or mix in a passive and quiet environment.

For the purpose of staff development, the Catholic Education Office allows four days a year to all schools. These days are used for teacher inservicing and professional development. Dates of these Staff Development Days will be advised through the school newsletter. You are asked to make other arrangements for the supervision of your child/ children on these days.

All clothing and property should be clearly marked with the child’s name. This includes jumpers, jackets, ties, hats, bags, lunch containers and anything else that can be mislaid. Any articles handed to the office with a name marked are returned immediately to the child concerned. All remaining lost property can be inspected outside the canteen. At the end of each term, any lost property is donated to the school clothing pool.

Reminders are given via the school newsletter regarding this.

In 2006 the school underwent a compliance review. Following recommendations from this review a strategic plan has been developed. The school’s strategic plan takes into consideration any findings of the compliance review and the Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Parramatta’s System Vision Statement and strategic goals.

The plan identifies the priorities that our school sets in the areas of policy review and development, curriculum, spiritual formation and community involvement for a five year period.

We currently participate in an excellent swimming program offered by the Aquatic Centre at Sydney Olympic Park. The swimming program is run each day for two weeks in Term Four. All children from Kindergarten to Year Six are expected to attend as it is an integral part of the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education program.

The tuckshop is open every day and lunches may be purchased by writing your child’s name, class and order on a paper bag. The order is placed in the plastic basket provided at the tuckshop before school.

Becoming part of the Tuckshop team is an excellent way to get to know other OLQP families. A form for tuckshop volunteers is sent home early in the first term of each school year.

A menu and price list is also provided to all families.

As members of the school community all staff, including teachers, teacher’s aides, and support staff are aware of and follow the mandatory ‘Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998’. This Act requires any person working in child-related employment involving unsupervised contact with children to complete a Prohibited Employment Declaration.

• Parent helpers are to attend a Child Protection Awareness Program offered annually by the Principal. They need to complete this course every second year.
  
  
• When parent helpers or teacher assistants are working with children they are to remain in sight of a class teacher.
  
  
• Visitors to the school are to report to the school office on arrival and wear identification while on the premises. Visitors not wearing identification should be approached and asked to report to the school office.
  
  
• Parents or visitors are not permitted to visit classrooms or walk around the school unless they are working in an official capacity.
  
  
• In accordance with Child Protection Legislation all people working with children at OLQP are required to sign a Prohibited Persons Declaration form. Any person refusing to sign this form will be not be allowed contact with children.
  
  
• The school follows the compliance requirements with regards to the Ombudsmen’s act when investigating any issues of child protection.
  
  
• The school follows the procedures required under the Commission of Children and Young People’s Act for employment screening and notification of all staff.

Aims

The staff at Our Lady Queen of Peace believe that they have a duty of care for all children and as such need to have specific guidelines for parents to follow when entering the school grounds.

• To provide guidelines that will assist staff and parents in protecting all children.
  
  
• To give clear non-ambiguous guidelines

Implementation

• If a parent needs to contact their child during school hours they must first proceed to the office. If the parent needs to speak to the child, the child will be called from the classroom to the office.
  
  
• If the child is to be taken from the school during these hours, the child will be called from the classroom to the office. At no time is the parent to go straight to the child’s classroom.
  
  
• A special form needs to be completed if the child is leaving the school during school hours. This will be kept by the class teacher with the roll.
  
  
• If the parent needs to give the child something e.g. lunch, the parent will hand the lunch into the office where the office staff will ensure the child receives their lunch. At no time is the parent to go to the child’s bag themselves.
  
  
• If a parent has a problem with another child, they must not approach the child on the school grounds. The parent needs to speak to a teacher about the matter.

 At no time is the parent to speak to another parent’s child regarding issues or concerns relating to school matters.

The most important homework of all is family living:

• lots and lots of family conversation - story telling, jokes, discussions
• shared bed time stories with mum or dad reading to the children.
• private reading in bed before lights out.
• family games, activities and hobbies.
• regular visits to the local library.
• selective viewing of TV shows and discussion of these
• outings to all kinds of places of social, historic and natural interest.
• the kinds of imaginative play that comes naturally to children of all ages.

Such activities encourage and help children become better learners and happier human beings.

Whilst homework is a valuable aid, it is not the most important aspect of a child’s education.

It is useful when -

• it gives the chance to consolidate what has been learnt at school
  
  
• it allows for the fact that children learn and work at different rates and have different needs
  
  
• it increases a child’s confidence and enjoyment in learning
  
  
• it gives parents opportunities to encourage, express approval and, in general, relate positively to their child/children
  
  
• it develops productive long-term habits of learning and planning.

Our Policy

• All children (K-6) are expected to read each night.
  
  
• Children in Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 are given regular reading homework and should be reading for 15-20 minutes. This includes the child reading and being read to by an adult. We actively encourage the practice of ‘reading together’ – that is adult and child together. Any extra homework given should take no longer than 15 minutes. Structured and/ or imaginative play should be actively encouraged.
  
  
• Homework is given regularly to Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. It is not always of the written kind. Written work is given each week. Along with reading it may include spelling, carrying out an experiment, finding answers to problems posed at school or work on a current theme or project.
  
  
• Homework will not necessarily be the same for every child in the class. Just as children are taught in group situations in the classroom according to their capabilities, then their homework will be set with this in mind.
  
  
• Children in Years 3 and 4 spend approximately twenty to thirty minutes on set work and children in Years 5 and 6 between thirty and forty minutes. This will include time for reading.
  
  
• Homework should not be a source of worry or frustration for the pupil, teacher or parent. Students are encouraged to complete the assigned work to the best of their ability and seek the teacher’s help with any difficulties.
  
  
• Set homework should be acknowledged by the teacher.
  
  
• Parents can be of great help to their children by showing interest in their activities and listening to their reading and by being sympathetic and patient. Homework is of little value if it is completed by the parent or is not supervised. Please help and encourage but allow your child to do his/her own work. Please sign homework. If for any reason the child is unable to do homework, the parent is to acknowledge this by a written note.
  
  
• Homework is not given when families choose to take holidays during term time – our recommendation is for the child to read daily and keep a journal while away.
  
  
• Homework is not given when children are sick and therefore away from school.

At OLQP we are constantly analysing the way we use technology to enhance learning. Computers and the internet are important components of effective teaching and learning opportunities.

Learning on the Internet and becoming confident, competent users of the latest technology is important for all, both students and teachers. To help students achieve these goals, ongoing professional development will be available to teachers as well as information nights for parents. The Internet is and will continue to be incorporated into class units and also involves the Teacher-Librarian in cooperative lessons.

As with all types of media, some material may be offensive and inappropriate for the students. At OLQP it is important that students, teachers and parents work together to make sure that the Internet is used as an appropriate learning tool.

To achieve this:

• students will be monitored while using the Internet
• tasks will be structured to direct students to suitable sites
• teachers will screen sites prior to the lesson
• students and teachers will have access to the Internet through CEO commissioned, school controlled firewalls and filters.

Acceptable Features of Internet Use Include:

• Helping others to use the computer and learn new skills.
• Enhancing personal skills and acquiring new knowledge.
• Developing social skills and computer etiquette.
• Respecting others’ privacy.
• Acknowledging sources of information found.
• Protecting individuals by not including names with photos.

Unacceptable Uses of the Internet Include:

• Knowingly engaging in activities that may interfere with the work of others on the network.
• Accessing sites that are inappropriate and not related to a school learning situation.
• Giving out personal or private information about myself or other people.
• Accessing or passing on inappropriate materials (eg violent, racist...).
• Publishing photographs of students or teachers without permission.

Any child who chooses to use the Internet in an inappropriate manner will have all Internet/computer privileges withdrawn for a period of time as determined by class teacher in consultation with a coordinator. Parents will be advised in writing and the consequence of any further breach will be determined by the Principal. Before accessing the Internet, children must read and sign a contract and their parent/carer must give written permission.

A weekly newsletter containing information about the school activities is distributed to the eldest child of each family every Tuesday and is available on the school website.

Parent/ teacher evenings are held at the beginning of each year to allow parents the opportunity to meet with the teacher and to set goals with their child.

Curriculum overviews are sent home at the beginning of each school term outlining the class program. In June there is the opportunity for Parent / Teacher / Student conferences to discuss the progress of each child.

Reports and Portfolios are sent home before this meeting and again at the end of the year. If you wish to see your child’s class teacher regarding his/her progress at other times, it is necessary to make an appointment.

Parents are always welcome to discuss matters of interest or concern with the Principal or Assistant Principal. Please ring the school office to make an appointment.

A parent or teacher may request an interview at any time during the year if a problem or concern arises.

Complaints by parents to teachers regarding school procedures and pupil’s progress, attitudes or behaviours, should be discussed as soon as possible with the Module Co-ordinator, who will communicate the problem to the Principal (or Assistant Principal in the absence of the Principal).

Complaints of a serious nature should be communicated directly to the Principal (or Assistant Principal in the absence of the Principal).

Parent/Teacher/Child Goal Setting Meetings are held at the beginning of Term One. This gives parents the chance to meet the teacher and establish goals for their child’s learning.

Following legislation introduced in 2005, all catholic schools in the Parramatta Diocese are required to meet particular requirements in regard to reporting student achievement ‘in plain English’.

All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 receive a written report twice a year (June and December) accompanied by a portfolio of work samples.

Students from Year 1 to 6 are given achievements levels.

Following these reports, parents are offered the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher. Parent-teacher meetings or conferences are the most valuable source of information about a child’s learning. At these meetings, parents have an opportunity to discuss their child’s level of achievement.

Before school supervision of the children commences at 8:25am. No responsibility can be taken for children arriving at school before that time. Staff supervise children waiting for buses and those crossing Old Prospect Rd after 3:05pm dismissal as well as children waiting for After School Care and those waiting for collection by parents until 3:45pm.

Parents are always welcome at our school but are asked, for the safety of the children, not to drive through or park in the school grounds.

Parents drop off and collect their children from Braeside Rd.

Parents are not to drop their child off at the entrance to the staff car park as this poses a safety risk. It is vital that all parents obey the parking and no standing restrictions and remind their children of safety rules. Children must use the pedestrian crossing and parents are reminded not to make U-turns, double park, park in bus bays or call their children across the road to cars. Most congestion is cleared within 10 minutes so you may consider collecting your children after that time

Of an afternoon, supervision is provided in this area until 3:45pm.

Those children going home by car are required to remain seated on the path running along the area and are not to move until their parents have pulled up in the collection bay or until their parents have come in to collect them.

Parents enter the kiss and ride zone via Lloyd Street. Surnames are displayed in each car entering the Kiss and Ride area and a teacher calls that surname on the PA. Children from that family then move down to the Kiss and Ride area – there is no need for parents to leave their vehicle.

We ask parents that they do not collect their children from the church grounds. There is no supervision in this area.

All children who are required to cross Old Prospect Road to meet parents or walk home are guided by a teacher. Each afternoon all children are dismissed from the school playground. All parents are asked to wait outside the office. We ask that parents do not wait outside classrooms.

All children who travel by bus are dropped off and collected from the bus bay in Braeside or Old Prospect Rd.

Children’s Responsibilities:

• Walk to bus line immediately on dismissal.
• Sit next to school bag on correct bus line for the entire waiting period.
• If there is a need to leave the line for any reason, permission must be sought from bus duty teacher.
• All children must walk to bus in a single file and have passes/money ready for bus driver.
• Fill seats from front.
• No minding seats and no bags on seats
• No standing at any time except if your stop is approaching.
• Correct behaviour should be observed at all times to ensure your safe journey.
• Older children please look out for younger children.

All Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 children are eligible for a free bus pass to travel to and from school each day. Children in Years 3-6 are eligible for a free bus pass if their home is 1.6km or more from the school “as the crow flies”. Application forms are available from the school office. These passes are issued by the Department of Transport, not the school.

The following immunisation requirements apply to all students

A. Enrolment Requirements

As of 1994 the Principal of the school must inform parents of the requirement of an Immunisation Certificate for all children starting primary school in the kindergarten class.

School principals should ensure that parents of children starting in the kindergarten class are issued with information regarding immunisation requirements at the pre-enrolment interview.

B. Immunisation Certificate

Under the Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992 school principals must request that parents provide the school with an Immunisation Certificate on enrolment.

Principals must be able to identify the unimmunised children in order that they can be excluded in the event of a disease outbreak.

If a parent fails to provide the school with an Immunisation Certificate, the child will be classified as unimmunised and excluded in disease outbreaks.

Schools must forward the Certificate when a child transfers to another school.

Secondary schools must retain the Immunisation Certificate for 2 years from the date of completion of secondary education.

C. Disease Notification Requirements

In the event of a vaccine-preventable disease occurring in a school, the school Principal must:

• notify the Medical Officer of Health of the local Public Health Unit.
• ensure that the Medical Officer of Health has access to the school Immunisation Certificates.
• follow the Medical Officer of Health’s direction and ensure that unimmunised children are excluded for the incubation period of the disease or the duration of the outbreak. A notice that the child is to be excluded and the period of exclusion must be sent home with the child.
• In the event of a major disease outbreak in a school, staff from the nearest Public Health Unit and Community Health nurses will be available to assist the clerical staff in identifying susceptible children.

D. Other Responsibilities

The school should liaise closely with the Public Health Unit.

The school should assist in informing parents of the immunisation requirements and in the distribution of materials pertaining to it.

It is necessary to complete a medical form for any child requiring medication to be administered at school. These forms are available from the school office and must be completed in every instance.

The medication is administered by the Principal’s delegate, usually the school secretary who is trained in this area.

Medication cannot be administered without the appropriate form completed.

Medication should be sent to school in the correct dosage and given to the teacher or office immediately on arriving at school. No medication is to be kept in school bags other than an asthma reliever spray.

We request that you do not send your child to school if they are sick.

It is also important to ensure that the school office has emergency contact names and phone numbers and that these are maintained and current at all times. When contact numbers change simply send a note to the school office and records will be amended.

OLQP has a number of students who have allergies to peanut products, known as anaphylaxis. The school is ‘nut free’ so families are asked not to send any peanut butter sandwiches or peanut products to school with their children.

(Correct uniform must be worn by all children at all times)

Uniform Shop

School uniforms are only available from the school through OZ Fashions Uniform Shop.

OLQP School Uniform Shop Trading Hours

Thursday: 8:30am - 10am
Saturday: 8:30am -10am

Holiday trading hours for your convenience

Saturday 21st January - 9am - 2pm
Monday 23rd January - 9am - 2pm
Tuesday 24th January - 9am - 2pm

In the storeroom in the blue undercroft (down from the student entry).
Open 8:30 - 9:30am and 2:30 - 3:30pm once a month (first Friday).
Dates are advised in the school newsletter.
School emblems, hats and bags are available from the school office at any time.

 (2005 prices)

Please note: OLQP has a “no hat - no play” policy in place.

At OLQP we believe that all members of the community are entitled to respect and happiness.

We believe that a well disciplined and nurturing environment is characterised by:

A Climate

• Which is non threatening, safe and happy.
• Where there is trust, co-operation and openness
• Where all members care for themselves, each other and the environment.

Children

• Who are happy, know the school’s expectations for behaviour and take responsibility for their actions.

Teachers

• Who are supportive of each other, consistent in approach and professional in their interactions.

Parents

• Who are aware and supportive of the school’s behaviour policy.
• Who encourage open communication between home and school.

A Playground

• Which is safe.
• Where children enjoy themselves.
• Where friendships nurture and grow.

Positive Relationships

• Based on mutual respect.
• Which acknowledge effort and achievement.
• Which promote strong self esteem.

Communication

• Which is open, regular and supportive of all members of the community

All staff and students follow the premise of Restorative Practice where students are encouraged to reflect on how their wrong doings affect other people. Rather than just fixing problems, negative incidents are used constructively to build empathy and a sense of community, with the aim of reducing such incidents in the future.

In 2005 all staff and students underwent a training program in Restorative Practice. Questions to help children solve problems are on display around the school.

Restorative Questions 1: When things go wrong

• What happened?
• What were you thinking of at the time?
• What have you thought about since?
• Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?

Restorative Questions 2: When someone has been hurt

• What did you think when you realised what had happened?
• What impact has this incident had on you and others?
• What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

Behaviour management in the classroom is determined by the classroom teacher according to the teacher’s and children’s needs and based on the school Mission Statement, beliefs and expectations.

Components of such a program will include:

• the development of class expectations (based on the whole school expectations)
  
  
• the development of consequences that suit the behaviour and move from least intrusive to most intrusive
  
  
• the development of a “warnings/chances” system (negotiated with the children)
  
  
• three warnings result in the class teacher contacting parents via a letter and notifying the module coordinator
  
  
• continued inappropriate behaviour results in face to face contact with the parent
  
  
• continued inappropriate behaviour results in child being referred to the Special Needs Committee (and consequently the Assistant Principal and Principal).

1. Children who fail to follow instructions or are non compliant are given 3 warnings – on the third warning they are given 10 – 15 minutes “timeout” in the classroom away from the rest of the class. After this they return to normal class activities.
   
   
2. The child begins again on a clean slate, however, if the disruptive behaviour continues, the child will be sent for “time out” with the coordinator. After a time out period with the co-ordinator the child will return to normal class activities.
   
   
3. The child begins again on a clean slate, however, if the child continues to make the wrong choice in terms of their behaviour then they are sent with a yellow time out card to the office. The child will complete their class work and spend their lunch time reflecting on their behaviour using the Restorative Justice form. The classroom teacher will inform the child’s parents of the unacceptable behaviour.
   
   
4. For serious issues will result in immediate removal from the classroom.

Under no circumstances will a child be subjected to any form of corporal punishment in either the class or wider school environment.

 The school community of OLQP Greystanes believes:

• everyone is involved in pastoral care
  
  
• pastoral care is characterised by a sense of love, kindness and celebration of living
  
  
• that pastoral care is integral to teaching and learning
  
  
• staff pastoral care is a vital component in the culture of care in the school
  
  
• parents are entitled to have continuing contact with a teacher regarding their child
  
  
• pastoral care respects the individual’s rights and freedoms
  
  
• pastoral care needs regular evaluation
  
  
• pastoral care arises from shared dialogue between all community members
  
  
• there should be a diversity of approaches and strategies to cater for student needs
  
  
• pastoral care is both implicit and explicit in the way it happens
  
  
• pastoral care should be proactive rather than reactive
  
  
• pastoral care reflects both an attitude and a process
  
  
• pastoral care is multi-disciplinary
  
  
• attributes of good pastoral care should be modeled by all community members.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary takes an innovative approach to learning and teaching, often integrating several curriculum areas. The classroom teacher ensures that the program follows the guidelines set by the NSW Board of Studies and covers all Key Learning Areas:

• English
• Mathematics
• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
• Creative Arts
• Science and Technology
• Human Society and Its Environment
• Languages Other than English

As a Catholic school, there is also a strong religious dimension across the curriculum which is most obvious in the subject of Religious Education and is seen as an integral part of daily school life.

The school enjoys the support and encouragement of the parish priests and works closely with the parish community. Students, parents and staff are provided with many opportunities to be involved in meaningful prayer celebrations and liturgy throughout the year. Students are also encouraged to support different parish and community social justice programs such as St Vincent de Paul, Project Compassion and Bandaged Bear day.