Buddy benches have started appearing at local primary schools as "visual signals" that children who are feeling lonely should be included.
Investec Bank and Creative Learning in Prison [CLIP] have partnered up to create 11 striking black and white benches for the island's primary schools.
The idea behind Buddy Benches is that when a child is upset or has nobody to play with, they sit on the bench and other children know to include them in whatever they are doing.
“Buddy Benches are a very visual way of signalling that a member of our school community is feeling out of sorts, so that other children can come to their side and lift their spirits," said La Mare de Carteret Headteacher Kim Hutchison.
"And we can see it being put to good use. All of the island primary schools will be grateful to Investec for these donations which will be a prominent addition to our play areas.”
Mark Renouf, Head of Trust & Corporate Service Providers Guernsey at Investec Bank (Channel Islands) Limited, said: “We have a long history of working with island schools and we are really pleased to be involved with this scheme.”
The buddy benches have been donated to these 11 schools:
Amherst
Castel
Forest
La Houguette
La Mare De Carteret
Le Rondin
Notre Dame Du Rosaire
St Mary & St Michael
St Martins
Vale
Vauvert
Pictured top: La Mare De Carteret Primary School Head Teacher Kim Hutchison and school children with Amy Le Prevost and Mark Renouf from Investec. The bank has donated 11 Buddy Benches to island schools, which have been created by CLIP Guernsey.
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