Mulberry House pupils tie messages of hope to the school gates

Pupils at the Mulberry House School in Hampstead finished term for the Christmas holidays by tying their hopes for 2021 to the school gates.

They copied a Japanese custom involving writing messages of gratitude and hope for the future onto little wooden plaques known as "ema". 

The plaques were then tied to the gates of the Minster Road school, forming a piece of art called the "Wishing Wall".

One pupil, Zabel Garabedian, wrote that he hoped "people are still kind to each other after Covid", while another, Megan Barabas from Year 2, wished that "the whole world would stay safe from Covid".

Headteacher Victoria Playford said she was thrilled by the positive response the initiative had had from the community.

She said: "We encourage children to reflect and debate current issues and to develop their own views about the world around them.

"Their words send a clear and inspirational message to us all that acts of kindness matter more than ever and are never forgotten."

READ MORE: Crouch End triplets set for first Christmas after groundbreaking surgery