Children from Fenton CP School showed their concern and support for the growing homelessness population in Pembrokeshire when they took part in a Hats Off for Homelessness Day on the last day of the Christmas term.

Pupils in Year 5 have also written poems from the perspective of a homeless person, following a visit from Dean Flood, who works for Pembrokeshire Care Society – the county charity fighting homelessness and providing support for those who find themselves without a home.

One of the aspirations of the National Curriculum for Wales is that all learners are ethical and informed citizens and the Year 5 children put this into action through learning about the challenges faced by refugees and those displaced in our community. Dean Flood spoke about how impressed he was by how well-informed the pupils were and by their desire to help others in Pembrokeshire.

Pembrokeshire Care Society extended its thanks to all Year 5 pupils, their teachers Mr Vaughan and Miss Halpin and their teaching support staff.

Dean’s talk inspired the whole school to get involved in raising funds to support homeless people – and last week he visited Year 5, together with other representatives from Pembrokeshire Care Society, to receive a cheque for £115.

The children were very interested how the money they raised – by wearing a hat to school on the last day of term – would be spent on providing support, such as shelter or food, for someone without a home of their home.

Pembrokeshire Care Society offers a wide range of services to support anyone who is homeless or at risk of losing their home. It has specific teams who support rough sleepers and who provide a mediation service for both landlords and tenants to ensure tenancies can be maintained.