Spread the love and join in heart-felt Earls Barton pupils' public outpouring of hope and longing

A school community in Earls Barton is urging people across their village and county to join their heart-felt demonstration of love by leaving messages for passers-by to read.

Pupils of Earls Barton Primary School have attached laminated heart-felt letters, pictures and memos to express what they have been missing during the latest lockdown.

The brainchild of teaching assistant Kay Smart and Year 6 teacher Matt Passby, the hearts now adorn the school railings and are appearing across the village as others join in.

Mr Passby said: "We started putting the messages outside school and have encouraged the children who are learning from home to join in by putting their own messages in the windows.

"Other people in the village have joined in. Ideally we'd like it to spread the positive messages to other places and schools.

"Some of the messages have really tugged at the heartstrings. We thought they might write messages to their friends but they wrote messages to their grandparents and cousins.

"It's a little heart-breaking how they are feeling."

The school had created rainbows and teddies for the first two lockdowns but wanted something to unite the pupils and the community.

The heart-felt messages read: "Dear Grandad, I know we can't see each other now, but I just want you to know, I hope your heart gets better and I hope you get the vaccine so we can meet each other again, your grandson."

"Dear Harry, Hi friend, I wait to see you again because it's been a year now, I can't wait to play a game because it makes me happy."

"To Nana and Grandad, I miss you I hope I can see you again."

Mr Passby, 32, said: "Lockdown one and two had rainbows and teddy bears in windows to help lift morale but there didn’t seem to be anything for lockdown three.

"We would really love to see this spread across the entire county."