School ‘stunned’ after John Lewis praises its Christmas video

The headteacher of a Co Tyrone school said the response to its Christmas video has been “really, really overwhelming” after John Lewis praised it online.

Fivemiletown College produced the short film, A Christmas Note, to celebrate its 65th anniversary and posted it on Facebook.

On Friday afternoon the retail giant left a comment complimenting the school’s efforts, saying: “Great to see that love lives at Fivemiletown College.

“Congrats on your brilliant film.

“Love from the John Lewis ad team.”

Headteacher Janice Allen said everybody at the school was “just completely amazed” by the message.

The department store is known for its heartwarming Christmas adverts and Ms Allen said pupils and staff were “stunned” that they had seen the video as “we’re just a small school in a rural community”.

She said the staff’s reaction was “absolutely priceless”, adding: “I wish I’d had a camera to show you their faces.”

The five-minute long film tells the story of how notes hidden by the pupils around the school and town cheer up members of the local community.

Among others, it features the local butchers, greengrocers and a boutique as well as a local tractor dealer, in a nod to the farming background of many of the school’s pupils.

The reaction to the video was not just online, according to Ms Allen, who said other local schools have phoned up to say the message had touched them.

She said she had “something really, really special” at a special screening of the film for teachers last week, adding: “I put the lights up at the end, I looked around the room and there were so many of them in tears having watched it.”

Two teachers, Andrea McNeary and Izzy Galloway, pitched the idea about six weeks ago, and the school commissioned a film-maker, Philip Anderson, to produce the project.

Ms Allen said he had a special connection to the school as his late cousin, Emma Patterson, had been a teacher there.

She added: “She was very young when she passed away, and a really, really wonderful colleague to have and it was lovely to have that connection as well.”