The programme traces its origins to an American woman who, going through divorce, noticed her children were struggling to cope despite initial appearances. Realising there was no specific support for children in such situations, she created Rainbows. The programme arrived in the UK about 30 years ago and is now well established here.

When Rainbows was first introduced at St George’s, it was in response to the death of Zane, a much-loved St George’s pupil who sadly died. It became clear there was no structured support for children grappling with such losses, prompting the school to bring in the Rainbows programme. It has since been instrumental in helping children of all ages at the Junior School express and understand their emotions in a supportive environment.

“When our precious Zane died, even through the depth of our personal grief, we felt such pain for his dear friends and the grief and confusion they were experiencing. We couldn’t make sense of what happened ourselves, so how could his young friends? Rainbows was brought in to carry the staff and children during this horrendous time to help process the pain. We are comforted that Rainbows will be there to help other children in the future and personally thank Mrs Stather for her hard work and for the love she felt for Zane and how she has used his loss to develop this valuable resource” Nicole Lawler, Zane’s mother.

The past 10 years have seen tremendous success for the Rainbows Programme at St George’s. In addition to organising the Rainbows programme within the school, over the last two years, Mrs Stather has been delivering training within the Diocese to enable more schools to offer this vital support within their community.

One of the programme's first participants, Noah, who attended Rainbows in 2014 after losing his beloved grandfather at the age of 7, reflects on his experience:

“I still remember the Rainbows classes very well. It felt very supportive and was good to meet other pupils from across the school who had gone through similar experiences. I felt that it really helped me process the loss of my grandfather in a way that was tailored to my age group, and I still have the artwork that I created during the classes. I am very pleased that the scheme is flourishing.”

More recently, Mrs Stather has researched and written a new support programme for Rainbows. She has designed the Health and Wellbeing Programme to help children dealing with anxiety and emotional challenges who may not have experienced a direct loss. This tailored programme, now available for schools across the country to use, has been piloted in both St George’s and schools in London. Feedback from the facilitators and participants led to the implementation of more interactive and discussion-based activities, helping children express their feelings through games, stories, and creative outlets.

Mrs Stather, reflecting on the journey, expressed her pride in the programme’s evolution and its ability to make a real difference in the lives of children. “It’s been incredible to see the impact that this intervention has on children, and to know that this resource is now available to schools across the country is hugely rewarding. I am delighted that the programme I have spent months researching, writing, piloting and rewriting will help so many children to build up their emotional toolkit. It will also raise the profile of Rainbows and the invaluable support they offer.”

To mark this special anniversary, the school held a Home Clothes Day in October, which raised just over £1,300 for Rainbows.

As Rainbows expands nationally, it remains deeply rooted in the ethos of St George’s Junior School, providing care, understanding, and a path to emotional healing for young children. The programme’s 10-year celebration is not just a milestone for the School, but a testament to the power of compassionate education.

I am delighted to be able to congratulate St George's Junior School on their 10th anniversary of using Rainbows to support their pupils who have experienced a significant loss in their lives. With a truly committed staff, the school has enabled the use of the Rainbows programmes to aid the grieving process of its young people, who have been able to grow in resilience, self-esteem and confidence, whilst adapting to the new situations in their lives.

St George's has been a beacon for Rainbows and has consistently shown dedication to furthering its work. We are very proud of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, which has recently been launched, following its creation by Emily Stather. Her commitment to Rainbows and her pupils is evident in this wonderful resource. Our thanks go to Emily and the Senior Leaders of St George’s for enabling this programme to be available across the country.

Our charity is extremely grateful to St George’s for its continuing support. We offer you sincere congratulations on this tenth anniversary, and we are confident that Rainbows will continue to flourish in your community.

Sharon Melia-Craven, National Director, Rainbows

“The Rainbows Programme has become a cornerstone of our pastoral care, offering vital emotional support to children navigating loss and change with compassion and understanding, in line with our Josephite ethos. We are deeply proud of the impact it has had over the past decade and profoundly grateful to Mrs Stather for her unwavering dedication in nurturing this transformative initiative.” Mr Iain Turner, Pastoral Deputy Head.

As St George’s looks to the future, it remains committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of its pupils, ensuring that Rainbows continues to be a source of hope and strength for years to come.