PUPILS from two Bury schools have joined with community members to raise money for people living in poverty overseas.

Pupils from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School and Guardian Angels Catholic Primary school held an art afternoon with parishioners from Guardian Angel Church.

The event was part of development charity Catholic Agency for Overseas Development’s (CAFOD) Brighten Up Harvest fundraising campaign.

The children and parishioners painted El Salvador crosses and learned about the situation in the Latin American nation and CAFOD’s work there.

They also enjoyed a lunch of homemade soup, as they hoped to ‘brighten up’ the lives of young people around the world.

Both schools also held a colourful-themed own clothes day, on Friday October 6 - raising £400 for CAFOD from the events.

Joanne Davies, executive headteacher at both schools, said it had been a successful event.

She said: “It was amazing to come together as a community and raise the awareness of CAFOD between our two schools and the parish.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved, the children working with the parishioners shows a great sense of community.”

Michelle Waterworth, head of school at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary school, added: “Supporting CAFOD’s Harvest campaign is a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to see how they can make a difference to the lives of others.”

CAFOD works with communities around the world, including those in El Salvador, where farming is the dominant profession despite the land being difficult to grow on.

Farmers often use substandard seeds that last only one harvest, cannot cope with pests or need special fertiliser.

The charity, along with partners, helps farmers crops to flourish using native seeds and seed banks, offering training on making organic fertiliser and pesticides, and looking after the environment.

Ann Wilson, CAFOD’s representative in Bury, said: “Harvest is a time of abundance of both crops and of life in the community. This event has shown the abundance of compassion in both Our Lady of Lourdes and Guardian Angels schools, whose kindness will help communities in El Salvador and around the world.”