A Climate of Change at Habs

This October, Habs has taken part in a very exciting international art project, ‘The Big Draw Festival’. This project is a worldwide celebration of creativity, and the theme this year is ‘A Climate of Change’. The Art department invited every member of the School, all pupils from Year 1 to Year 13, teaching staff and support staff, to make their own crane and write on it their pledge for the environment. 

In response to this, the School has been in a flurry of creativity and we, as a community, have each made origami cranes from recycled paper! Habs has demonstrated such enthusiasm in coming together and working seamlessly on one common purpose. The School community has certainly responded to the call, risen to the challenge, and worked as a team to ensure everyone has been able to take part. It has truly been a joy to witness. 

Art is so often used as a vehicle for social change. It has a unique power to transcend time and unify people from all walks of life. It is an integral part of the curriculum, allowing staff and pupils to approach challenges in new ways, instilling values and developing skills for powerful and meaningful content to be expressed. The process of origami itself further develops fine motor, sequencing and spatial skills – and, indeed, patience.

Mr Gus Lock, Headmaster, said: “A creative education brings so much and its benefits are legion. It fosters our curiosity and imagination, inviting us to see the world in different ways and from different perspectives, something that has never been more important; it cultivates a sense of expression as we are invited, indeed forced, to find our own voices, something too many young people find hard; by giving us our voice and by providing opportunity for calm focus, it strengthens resilience and demonstrably improves wellbeing, hence its wide use in therapy; furthermore, it brings us together in collaborative work and in glorious, joyful celebration; and it is hard and gritty work, both requiring and developing our power of enquiry and perseverance to overcome problems.”

The pledges pupils and staff have written on their cranes have been as important as the creation itself. Conversations around the School have taken place about how we, at Habs, can make a difference to our planet. As a result, members of the School have committed pen to paper to write one promise, which showcases positive actions for the planet.

So, why a crane? Well, sadly, along with many other creatures on our planet, cranes are at risk of extinction as a result of hunting and the destruction of their habitat. These majestic creatures are also considered in many cultures to be a messenger of God and stand for good fortune and good things to come. 

Each origami crane will be individually hung to create one giant art installation. 

Mr Lock added: “This beautiful artwork, which we hope will hang in the foyer of the Medburn Centre, is sure to be a statement of positive change as well as a physical display of creativity and community spirit. Better still will be the real outcome, that sense of communal activity, creativity and expression, with a focus on a hugely important issue and a constant reminder whenever we see it of a time when we created something together and spoke as one.”