Take part in 'Numbers Day' to help protect vulnerable children

‘Number Day’ is a maths-inspired fundraising day for children in nursery right through to secondary school, with free curriculum-based downloadable activities to liven up their lessons.

Since it launched in 2000, over 4,000 schools have got involved with Number Day and raised over £2.5million.

It is an annual event that sees teachers and pupils raise vital funds for the NSPCC so it can continue its important work to protect children from abuse and support them with any issues they may face.

This includes the charity’s Childline counselling service which has been a lifeline for thousands of children since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020.

It is free for any school to sign up to Number Day and there’s still time to get involved.

Once a school is registered, the NSPCC will send it everything it needs to make its Number Day a success.

This will include resources that can be used in the classroom, including games and activities such as Buddy’s Key Challenge.

This features the NSPCC mascot Buddy the speech bubble, which pupils may recognise from the charity’s Speak Out, Stay Safe assembly. For this challenge, pupils complete maths puzzles to create a key which can unlock a door so the charity’s mascot Buddy can visit their school.

They will also be sent tips and ideas on how to fundraise, resources to help promote Number Day and teachers will have access to a wide range of games and tasks.

This includes information on keeping children safe from harm and supporting their school’s safeguarding, as well online safety quizzes that can be used with pupils of all ages.

To sign up to take part in Number Day, all you need to do is visit the NSPCC’s website and search for Number Day and fill in your school’s details using the registration form.

Caroline Morgan

NSPCC Supporter fundraising manager for the midlands

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Been to any good parties recently?

Apparently Boris (Johnson, prime minister) has had quite a few in Downing Street over the last couple of years – I’m not sure he will be planning anymore for a while…

But everyone should have a social life, we need that companionship and sense of togetherness, especially in tough times, and there are still many reasons why we should be holding celebrations (but please check the rules in your nation first, there is a right time, and right place!).

Christians enjoy a party and Jesus loved a party as well (I know, what a shocker, but let me explain).

Whenever Jesus wasn’t preaching or teaching, you’d find Him at a party. It might be at a tax collector’s house or at a Pharisee’s home. The guests might include powerful men from the local community or the so called last and least in society.

And this really ticked some people off. What seemed to bother the stuffy, “religious” types the most wasn’t that Jesus went to parties, but that He seemed to enjoy Himself – outrageous!

That is why they called Him a glutton and winebibber (and right there is your new word for the week!).

It was at just such a party that Jesus performed His first miracle. The occasion was a wedding banquet. Tradition tells us it was the disciple John’s wedding and that makes sense since Jesus’ mother, Mary, was the cousin of John’s mother. Jesus seems to feel some sort of responsibility to the guests and doesn’t want the host and hostess of the party to look bad when they run out of wine. The miracle was the turning of water into wine, some four hundred gallons of it!

Jesus valued the Middle Eastern culture of the celebration and then as now there are many reasons to have a good time.

Partying as an act of worship was demonstrated in many Old Testament banquets, which God encouraged his people to hold in order to celebrate and remember the good times and how had he had loved them.

And we can live every day celebrating because we have that same reason to celebrate—God’s unconditional love for us. Jesus encouraged a spirit of celebration and a life overflowing with joy from a heart of worship. And that makes him the true, nurturing, authentic life of the party!

So, while we need to remember to drink responsibly we can worship our saviour with no limits!

Miles Green

Harvest Church, Spalding