​APPLE DAY: FOOD, FRIENDSHIP, COMMUNITY

Apple Day was filled with sweetness and crunch at Fressingfield Primary School this year! From our Harvest Celebration to freshly prepared soups, homemade bread rolls and campfire treats, it was a day to celebrate food, friendship and the wonderful community at the heart of our school.

Our day began, as tradition dictates, with our Harvest Celebration at the Baptist Chapel. Children from Amazon Class led us in a thoughtful celebration which encouraged us to reflect on food scarcity and inequality, reminding us of the importance of sharing what we have and not wasting food. Zambezi treated us to a wonderfully sung and signed rendition of Thank You, while Rhine and Thames sang and danced for us too. The children sang brilliantly, including Mr Leicester’s favourite, Autumn Days!

The second course began between break and lunch, as the children split into their houses to prepare soups, bake bread rolls and press fresh apple juice ready for our after-school festivities. In a community with such strong farming roots, it was a wonderful opportunity to think about where our food comes from, appreciate the hard work that goes into producing it and celebrate the simple pleasure of preparing and sharing a meal together.

Mrs Tooley spent the afternoon transforming all those carefully chopped vegetables into two delicious soups: butternut squash and chunky vegetable. These were served with freshly baked rolls to a hungry crowd of children, parents and grandparents after school, with gorgeous apple juice to wash it all down. I asked several children what they thought of the soups, and every one declared them delicious!

Having feasted, we headed outside for dessert. Miss Adamson had been busy at our Forest School fire, preparing baked bananas with chocolate and baked apples with raisins and golden syrup. Delicious! Gathering around the fire gave everyone the chance to enjoy a sweet treat, catch up with old friends and make a few new ones.

The afternoon rounded off with games on the field and campfire songs for those willing to lend their voices. It was a lovely way to end a day that brought together children, staff, families and friends in the spirit of our Heart of the Community curriculum driver.

A huge thank you to all our staff for their hard work in preparing the day, especially Mrs Tooley and Miss Adamson; to our FOFSA volunteers for their help with chopping, preparing, pressing and cleaning; and to all the family members who joined us for the afternoon. Most importantly, thank you to the children, whose enthusiasm, teamwork and delicious creations made the day such a success.

At Fressingfield, being at the heart of our community means more than simply being in the middle of our village. It means learning together, sharing what we have, valuing the people and traditions around us, and recognising that even the simplest things – a bowl of soup, a freshly pressed apple juice or a song around a campfire – can bring people together.

What a delicious day!