THEY are very proud of the stained-glass windows in their churches on the Isles of Scilly, at the far end of Truro diocese. The windows have recently been used as a teaching aid for the primary pupils at the Five Islands School, in a project co-ordinated by Susanna Gates, a teacher at the school.

The children have been studying the history of the windows in their local church, and also the stories that the windows depict, on the islands of St Mary's, Tresco, St Agnes, and St Martin's. In particular, the children reflected on the images that depict trust, compassion, forgiveness, and loss, especially of those who put to sea to save the lives of others.

In class, they thought about the meaning behind the stories, and, with the artist Tony Minnion, created screen-printed images of their own experiences that reflected those themes. The images were then digitally compiled and professionally printed on to a taffeta banner, close in size and shape to each island's church window.

The project was supported by the Chaplain to the Isles of Scilly, Canon Paul Miller, and funded by the diocese of Truro. The banners will be on display at St Mary's, Tresco (Tresco window pictured), throughout September, and then for a few days at Truro Cathedral at the end of October, before finding permanent homes in the individual churches on Scilly.