A TEAM of students have helped make the Garden of Remembrance at Haslingden High School even more special. Working with Year 7 Progress Manager Lisa Southee, they have enhanced the area by painting poppies on all of the classroom windows that surround the quadrangle along with many more projects.
Dre Halstead, 11, said: “We planned how we could improve the area and got a grant to buy new plants.”
As well money from the Parent, Teacher and Friends’ Association at school, the students also organised cake sales.
Mckenzie Taylor-Millar, 11, said: “We bought and planted poppies, forget-me-nots and evergreens.”
Daisy Simpson, 13, explained how, along with the red poppies on the windows, they also added some purple ones to remember the animals that had died.
Esme Turner, 13, said: “We got some glass jars and painted poppies on the outside of them. In some we put paper poppies and in others we will be putting tea lights.”
Every student will be colouring in a poppy, adding the name of a soldier and it will then be displayed near the garden. Ribbons will be tied to the tree in the quadrangle.
Kiera Dootson, 13, said: “We got lots of people to help paint poppies on stones for the garden and we asked staff and families for the names of soldiers to put on the stones. It is important because we want to remember all those who died and to remember all that they have done for us. We mark Remembrance every year but this year is even more important because it is the Centenary of the end of the First World War.”
On Friday November 9, there will be a special service in school when Harry Turner from Year 11 will be playing the Last Post.
Miss Southee, who has been assisted by teacher Meghan Isherwood, said: “I am so proud of the students who have worked so hard on this project. They range from Years 7 to 11 and they all come together each year to improve our Garden of Remembrance. I think it is really important that people remember and especially that the next generation never forget.”
A Remembrance trail has also been introduced around school. Students and staff emailed pictures of their family members who fought in the First World War and in the Second World War and these are displayed around the school alongside poems which were written by Year 8 students last year.