RICHMOND SCHOOL REMEMBERS
15 November 2023 | Sven Wardle | Posted in: Community, News, Service Children
As has been the case for many years, Richmond School and Sixth Form College’s students and staff played a proud part in a variety of events commemorating Remembrance Day across the county and further afield.
Starting furthest away, Jon Giddens, Richmond School and Sixth Form College’s indomitable Site Team Leader made his customary journey to London to take part in the Remembrance Parade at the London Cenotaph.
Jon said: “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.”
Closer to home, Richmond School students joined over 700 children of Armed Forces personnel at the Service of Remembrance at Ripon Cathedral.
Mr. Birdsall, the school’s Service Children’s Advocate, had this to say: “James Hall and Skye Cox in Year 8 and Freddie Hobson and Lars Bryan in Year 9 were honoured to attend the Service of Remembrance at Ripon Cathedral on Friday.
The Cathedral was full to capacity with service children from across North Yorkshire. Lars was proud to be a standard bearer. A Parade Marshal from the Royal British Legion showed Lars how to carry the standard before he joined the parade with the Royal British Legion standard bearers. Skye and James also contributed to the service with a reading from the bible.
The students were delighted to see a display of artwork at the altar which included designs created by our service students.”
The artwork mentioned above included more than 300 poppy mandalas created by students during 16 workshops at schools in the months leading up to the festival. We reported on the workshop run at Richmond School earlier on in the term here:
https://www.richmondschool.net/?s=ripon+cathedral
North Yorkshire County Council have a more detailed report here:
Back in Richmond, our students took part in two events. James Hall and Skye Cox laid the wreath at the Remembrance Service at Friary Gardens. James and Skye were joined by Jenna Potter, Headteacher, and Mr. Birdsall, Service Children’s Advocate.
Jenna Potter said: “Each year, many of our students take part in Parades and Remembrance Services in Richmondshire and across the Dales representing the Ministry of Defence Cadet Forces, Scouts, the Emergency Services and other organisations. Thank you to all our students who have been involved in this most important occasion and for showing the utmost respect for those who have lost their lives in conflict.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to all the students in school and college who have devoted time to creating so many beautiful memorials. I have been hugely impressed by our service students who created the poppy inspired mandalas that were displayed at the Service of Remembrance at Ripon Cathedral”
Mr. Birdsall added: “As Richmond School and Sixth Form College’s Service Children’s Advocate, it has been a huge honour to be involved in this year’s events to commemorate Remembrance. Our service students are an incredible group of students and they embody such resilience and determination. The support they have for each other is outstanding and I am so proud of the students who represented the school and college at these formal events. I am looking forward to working more closely with our service students throughout the year.”
Also in the town, two of Richmond School’s musicians, Freddie Lundberg and Tom Grigg joined with representatives from the Royal British Legion to perform The Last Post. In the market square, those within earshot fell silent as the brass notes faded and 11 o’ clock struck.
You can see their performance here:
At Richmond School and Sixth Form College, Tom and Freddie also played a pivotal role. 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, where Richmond School cadets, proudly wearing their Ministry of Defence uniforms, stood with their heads bowed.
Their performances marked the start of a two minute silence – every student and staff member stopped and took this chance to reflect.
You can see Tom’s performance here:
And Freddie’s here:
In addition to Freddie’s duties in Richmond, he then travelled to Mossley, near Manchester, to play trumpet and march through the village with students and staff from Mossley Hollins High School. A busy weekend!
Throughout the week leading up to the two minute’s silence at Richmond School, 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.
The commemoration of Remembrance Day means a great deal to the students and staff of Richmond School and Sixth Form College, as well as our wider community. Once again we have been proud to support this year’s wide range of events and to showcase the respect, determination and teamwork of our amazing students and staff.