REMEMBRANCE AT RICHMOND SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM COLLEGE 

Remembrance is an important event at Richmond School and Sixth Form College, especially because of the close links we have with Catterick Garrison and the significant number of our students who come from families with connections to the Services. 

Our staff and students have been involved in a number of events on and around Remembrance Day. Thanks to everyone who contributed, both to the events themselves and to the reports afterwards, especially to Mrs Cheesbrough, our Service Children’s Advocate. 

Remembrance Parade and Festival, London. 

We start in London, at the Remembrance Parade. Jon Giddens, our indefatigable Site Team Leader, made his customary journey down to the capital to march past the Cenotaph with The Royal Signals Association. Jon also attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. 

He said: “On Sunday, I marched with the Royal Signals Association at the London Cenotaph Remembrance Day Parade as I have done for several years now. The parade enables former soldiers to remember fallen comrades of past conflicts. I spent 23 years in the Royal Corps. of Signals, leaving in 2012 as a Staff Sergeant. I served in Germany, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan and exercised in many other countries. 

This year it was a great privilege to also attend the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the North Yorkshire’s Service Children Community Choir with students from several of our local schools – it was a very moving experience.” 

Festival of Remembrance, Ripon Cathedral. 

Closer to home, at Ripon Cathedral on the Wednesday before Remembrance Sunday, students from Richmond School and Sixth Form College played a significant role in the annual Festival of Remembrance. 

Mrs Cheesbrough takes up the story:  

“Each year Angela Campbell, Service Children’s Champion, organises the annual Festival of Remembrance at Ripon Cathedral for children from military families to commemorate the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes, past and present. It is attended by over 600 students and their teachers, alongside representatives of the North Yorkshire Council and local military units. 

This year, Richmond School was privileged to play an important role in the Service, with our school Orchestra and Concert Band being requested to perform the music for the entire event.  The Orchestra and Concert Band, led by My Boyd, Lead Teacher of Music, did an outstanding job. 

Music plays such a pivotal role in military life, with bands playing an integral role in all military parades and services throughout the year. It was an honour to continue this tradition of music in the Cathedral to commemorate the lives, service and sacrifice of all military families. As part of the service, Richmond also performed alongside the Service Children’s Choir, who were recently invited to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. We were excited to see one of our students, Summer Taylor, singing there too! 

Two students, Freddie Lundberg and Tom Grigg, also had the honour of performing the Last Post. No mean feat in front of such an audience and for such an important event. A video of the entire service can be found here: 

www.tinyurl.com/RiponService2024 

In preparation for the service, Mrs Cheesbrough took two service students, Izzy Barnes and Taylor Edmonds, to the Green Howards Museum to participate in a research project. Each of the participating schools ‘adopted’ a soldier whose framed image featured in a procession at the Festival of Remembrance. Izzy and Taylor were inspired by their stories and accompanied the Orchestra to Ripon Cathedral to take part in Remembrance with their soldier. By honouring their legacy, we ensure that their stories live on and inspire future generations. 

With such high numbers of service students, we are incredibly proud of all the students who represented Richmond School and Sixth Form College this week, who all contributed to making Remembrance such a significant part of school life. Thank you.” 

Mr Boyd had this to say about the musicians’ performances: “It truly was an incredible experience and one that I hope our students will remember for a very long time. 

Our musicians produced one of their most remarkable performances, supporting the wider community with their excellent music making. Accompanying the choirs and congregational singing was a pleasure, with a particular highlight for me being the National Anthem near the end, where we performed with such exuberance and joy. 

My thanks go to the students for their continued commitment to performing and to the North Yorkshire Council for inviting us to perform, giving us such a beautiful platform to share our music.” 

Thanks to www.jemisonphotographer.co.uk for some of the photos from Ripon Cathedral. 

Wreath laying ceremony, Richmond. 

On Remembrance Sunday itself Mrs Potter, Headteacher, and Mrs Cheesbrough were joined by two Year 7 students at the wreath laying ceremony in Friary Gardens, Richmond. 

Mrs Cheesbrough gives us an insight into the event: 

“On behalf of all our service children in school, Sabrina Schutte and Luke Murrell laid the wreath at the Remembrance Service and parade at Friary Gardens.  

It was inspirational to see so many students within the parade from Richmond School representing many different organisations such as the Scouts, Cadets and Guides. During the wreath laying, both students represented the school brilliantly, showing the upmost respect for those who have lost their lives in conflict.  

I am really looking forward to continuing to work with such inspiring students throughout the year in my role of Service Children’s Advocate. I am so proud of the students who have represented the school and college at such formal events over the past week.” 

At Richmond School and Sixth Form College. 

Throughout the week leading up to Monday’s two minute’s silence at Richmond School and Sixth Form College, Mrs. Mawer, Lead Teacher of History had delivered a series of poignant assemblies on those who had fallen in conflict and remembering those who were conscripted to National Service. 

Service children representing a new initiative in school, the ‘Service Children’s Voice’, had taken the time to make a series of poppy-themed artworks, now on display in Tesco, Catterick. 

On Remembrance Day itself, Monday 11th, all students at the school and Sixth Form College prepared for the customary two minute’s silence, preceded by two lone trumpeters playing the Last Post. 

Mrs Cheesbrough, again, describes the scene: 

At 11:00 on Monday morning, Richmond School and Sixth Form College fell silent as Tom Grigg and Freddie Lundberg played a pivotal role this Remembrance Day, alongside students representing the Cadets, Guides and Scouts.  

They played the Last Post as individuals – Tom in the Foyer of the Sixth Form College and Freddie at the West Door of Clarke Hall – his performance was broadcast across the school from speakers on the West Door steps. On the same steps, Richmond School Cadets, Guides and Scouts proudly wore their uniforms and stood with their heads bowed. It was a privilege to watch the students come together in respect for those who have lost their lives in conflict. 

Their performances marked the start of a two minute’s silence – every student and staff member stopped and took this chance to reflect.” 

You can watch a video of Tom’s performance at this link: 

www.tinyurl.com/TomLastPost24 

Freddie’s performance, along with the Cadets, Scouts and Guides on the Clarke Hall West Steps can be seen at this link: 

https://tinyurl.com/FreddieLastPost24 

Mrs Potter, Headteacher, has the final word: 

“It is an incredibly poignant time across the nation and once again, our students have shown such respect for those who have served and who continue to serve our country. It is both moving and comforting to see the annual traditions in both the school and the town being upheld more strongly than ever. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this year’s Richmond School and Sixth Form College Remembrance events.”