As children in the Chichester Ward of the Portsmouth England Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints picked up litter along the Chichester Canal, their service impacted not only them but also the community.
The canal is a popular spot for walkers, cyclists and dog walkers. The Primary children noticed how they felt good as they made the area cleaner, filling several big bags with trash. And people passing them noted what a difference their work made.
“As we walked along the canal, people would say ‘Thank you’ or ‘That’s a good job you’re doing’ or ‘Well done, kids,’ and we saw their smiles grow from ear to ear,” said Lyndsey Toyn, the first counselor in the ward Primary presidency.
There was a public event happening that February weekend, so by the Primary children picking up the trash, everyone using the canal was able to enjoy the unspoiled beauty, Toyn said. “I think it made the children see they could have pride in their community and they are not too young to get involved.”
All Primaries in the Church have been invited to organize a service activity beginning this year. The Chichester Ward Primary children saw the February 2025 Friend to Friend broadcast — which had an example of a Primary class cleaning up a neighborhood park — and thought they could do something to help beautify the canal near their chapel where they often have picnics.
Toyn contacted the local council, who gave the children litter pickers, high-visibility jackets and trash bags to use. The council then collected the filled bags from the children after they were finished.
The older children worked to see who could fill up their bag the quickest, and the younger children talked to the ducks on the canal as they walked, letting them know they were cleaning up for them.
“Our oldest girl, Amanda, aged 10, commented, ‘This is so fun, I’m so glad we did this,’ and another child, Maddie, aged 8, responded with, ‘We should do this at the park next time,’” Toyn said. “As leaders, we did not once need to encourage participation or concentration as they all had fun.”
Since then, the Primary children have had more ideas of things they can do to help in their school and neighborhood and how they can have the rest of the ward and families involved.
Serving children in Utah and Ghana
On April 12, Primary children in the Garland Utah Stake took part in a donation drive, with the theme “Helping Children from Garland to Africa.”
“This inspiring effort was entirely planned by the Primary children themselves, bringing together young hearts from 10 wards in a unified mission to serve,” said stake Primary president Susan Chadaz.
Each ward in the stake selected two child representatives who joined a planning committee. They brainstormed together and shared a wide range of ideas. With guidance and support, the group refined their plans into an achievable and meaningful project, Chadaz said.
Working with local charities and community organizations, the children organized a dual-focused donation drive.
Donations for local children included:
- A carload of children’s books.
- 3 large boxes of pajamas for children at homeless shelters and crisis centers.
- More than 200 “Birthday Bags” filled with cake mixes, candles, frosting and decorations.
Donations for children in Ghana included:
- 200 “Sunday kits” for children, each including a hair bow or tie, CTR ring and Articles of Faith cards.
- 25 visual-aid kits for Primary music leaders and teachers.
The Primary children created signs and flyers, placed collection baskets in their classrooms and invited their wards to donate. Then on the day of the event, the children organized and assembled the donations, decorated birthday bags, colored visual aids, sorted and folded pajamas, cleaned and organized books and assembled Sunday kits.
The donations for Ghana will be hand-delivered in July by a local contact traveling to Accra, Chadaz said. Meanwhile, local donations were distributed to the Family Support Center, local schools, the food pantry and Catholic Charities.
“One child said, ‘It made my heart feel good to see how much people gave to children,’” Chadaz said. “The Garland Stake Primary’s project stands as a beautiful example of what can happen when children are empowered to lead with love and purpose — a testament to the impact children can have with pure faith in action, from Garland to Africa.”
Primary children serve in Panama
On Saturday, March 15, the Primary children of the La Chorrera Panamá Stake joined the worldwide invitation to plan, invite and serve.
They took part in various service activities such as donating clothing, cleaning, planting, recycling and painting signs in the stake center parking lot.
The children participated with dedication and enthusiasm, said a news release from the Church’s Panama Newsroom, and through their efforts, they demonstrated their spirit of love, collaboration and social responsibility.
The groups of children were organized so that they could participate safely and effectively with the supervision and guidance of leaders, teachers and parents.
They learned about the importance of service and how serving is a way to share the love of Jesus Christ and follow His example. The initiative also helped teach the children about being ready to help, minister to and love their neighbors.
