Children raise Norwich cathedral roof to help the world’s poor

The voices of 400 children filled Norwich's catholic cathedral in a landmark concert which raised more than £1,000 to help the world's poorest people.

For the first time, all six catholic feeder primary schools for Norwich's Notre Dame High School (NDHS) – from throughout Norfolk and Suffolk – performed together.

They used the opportunity at the catholic cathedral of St John the Baptist to raise money for the catholic church's official aid agency Cafod, which has its East Anglia diocesan base in Norwich.

Every child who performed presented a filled collection box for Cafod's World Gifts fundraising scheme, which enables people to buy gifts to improve the lives of people in developing countries.

The money will buy gifts such as tools for an apprentice so a young person fighting poverty can gain skills and craft a better future for themselves and vaccinations and pre- and post-natal care for mothers and babies.

The primary schools were St Francis of Assisi in Norwich, St Mary's schools in Gorleston and Lowestoft, St Augustine's in Costessey, St Benet's in Beccles and St Edmund's in Bungay.

Pupils who did not perform in the concert also gave boxes.

The Rt Rev Alan Hopes, Catholic Bishop for East Anglia, blessed everyone at the concert and praised the children, adding that the money, through Cafod, would help 'look after people who are not as fortunate as we are'.

Alex Savage, NDHS assistant head, said: 'Some parents had travelled a really long way for the concert and the children gave a very professional performance. It has been great to have Cafod at the heart of it.'

Each box had been given to a child with a leaflet encouraging them to raise money for a particular gift from worms, which would enrich the soil in infertile land, to chickens and other gifts which help people in poverty.

Many children asked for money to go to Filipino victims of Typhoon Haiyan.