Ealing Students Go The Extrea Mile For Refugees

St Augustine's pupils take part in CAFODs ' Share the Journey'

Students at an Ealing school have been taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of refugees.

St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing Catholic independent day school for girls, embarked on CAFOD's ‘Share the Journey’ which involved walking a mile around the school grounds each day.

Augustinians of all ages – from Nursery to Priory 6 to staff and parents took part and Sixth Formers, accompanied by Headteacher, Mrs Sarah Raffray, and other staff walked to Ealing Broadway Station with a banner proclaiming ‘Share the Journey’. 

At the end of the week the St Augustine’s Priory grand total walked came to 571.5 miles. This is an incredible achievement and the school is proud to be able to add their total to the CAFOD miles walked so far.

Mrs McDermott, Head of Religious Studies, commented, ‘This was an amazing week and a wonderful opportunity to walk in solidarity.  A week we will always treasure’.

St Augustine’s Priory was honoured that they were able to carry a Lampedusa cross (borrowed from CAFOD) which was carried on each walk with each child in turn able to hold it.  The Lampedusa crosses were made by Francesco Tuccio, a carpenter from the Italian island of Lampedusa. CAFOD says ‘When hundreds of refugees who were fleeing Eritrea and Somalia drowned off the coast of Lampedusa, he was moved to gather the driftwood from the wrecked boats and turn them into crosses, which he offered to survivors as a small but powerful symbol of hope’.

Every year thousands of people around the world flee their home countries in a bid to reach safety, risking danger and death.

During their walks each class stopped at certain points where information on individual refugees was posted in the school grounds and the girls used the walk to meditate on the journeys made by refugees from around the world. 

Those supporting CAFOD’s campaign had reached their initial goal by June of 24,900 miles - the distance around the world. 

Now St Augustine’s Priory hopes that their contribution will go towards enabling a second walk around the world to be accomplished.

July 4th 2018