Diversity project helps to ensure that Newry school pupils are 'Free to be Me'

A project to highlight the rich diversity of a modern Ireland has seen a library of 100 books presented to Saint Patrick’s Nursery and Primary School in Newry. The school also participated in four workshops. The project is run by Partner in Charge of KPMG in Northern Ireland and former pupil Johnny Hanna, along with KPMG colleagues Marie Farrell and Louise Coffey.

Free to Be Me: The Diversity, Inclusion and Representation Project is run by KPMG in conjunction with Children’s Books Ireland and aims to ensure every child can see themselves reflected in a book. It also helps them to learn about the lives of others whose experience and perspectives may differ from their own.

St Patrick’s the Meadow was chosen as one of only 10 schools from throughout Northern Ireland after being nominated by Johnny.

“It’s a privilege for me to come back to my old primary school and take part in the Free to Be Me workshops.  KPMG is passionate about levelling the playing field for everyone across the province, something which the Free To Be Me programme allows us to do in novel and interactive manner.

“Universal access to education and culture are the greatest means to removing barriers so that all children have fair and equitable opportunities to maximise their individual strengths and talents. We want to ensure that all children can see themselves reflected and celebrated in the books they read and in the stories and images they hear and see.”

The initiative is part of KPMG’s Corporate Citizenship agenda which is committed to lifelong learning. Its volunteer programme benefits local communities and aims to improve literacy rates in local communities, reaffirm the firm’s commitment to and desire to impact positively on youth and education and provide an opportunity for KPMG’s people to positively engage and contribute to our communities.

The four books which the programme will focus on are Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus and Polly Dunbar; The Pirate Mums by Jodie Lancet-Grant and Lydia Corry; How Old Am I? by J.R. and Julie Pugeat, and Leo and the Octopus by Isabelle Marinov and Chris Nixon.