This year, Bloxham School has marked Remembrance and Armistice Day in various ways, honouring to those who have lost their lives fighting for their country.
Over the course of the last few months, Bloxham’s Lower School pupils have been working hard to produce their own clay poppies, in the same style as those that were on display around the Tower of London in 2014. It began with a visit from Will Lehmann, a potter at local Whichford Pottery, which was responsible for producing several thousand of the poppies displayed in London last year. The clay poppies have been through various stages of production, including being cut using the original template cutters, moulded, fired, painted and attached to their stalks. This process culminated in a wonderful display, which sees the poppies clustered together in the shape of a cross on the edge of Headmaster’s Lawn, marking this year’s Remembrance Day.
On Sunday 8th November, lots of the school community turned out to join the Bloxham village procession, which congregated in the centre of the village before a church service. The Bloxham CCF Department were proud to march as part of the event.’
Today, Wednesday 11th November itself, the entire Bloxham School community came together at Headmaster’s Lawn for a brief service of remembrance, led by the school Chaplain, Dr Gerard Moate. During the service there were some very touching poems read and the name of each OB who has died fighting in war was named. The service ended with a performance of the Last Post, which was played down to the onlookers below. With 135 OBs having been killed in the line of duty, the scale of the losses was really brought home by the display of poppies lined up in a separate area, one to signify each of the fallen. The service was extremely poignant and a fitting tribute by which to remember everyone who has fought for their country.
To view a full album of poppies and remembrance events, please click here.