Commemorating Remembrance Day at St Gregory’s

For Remembrance this year we had a busy time at St Gregory’s, commemorating this poignant and important time of year both in school and in the local area.

In school, Mass was celebrated for the entire community and it was a particular honour to welcome a recently retired forces Chaplain, Fr Robert Corrigan, to lead us. As someone who has spent the past 14 years alongside servicemen and women who themselves have lost friends and colleagues in action, his words of wisdom were absorbed all the more by those gathered.

One of our annual traditions is to invite students who are cadets or in uniformed services such as the St John’s Ambulance, Air Training Corp and others to come to school dressed in their attire – we had so many attend proud to wear their uniforms.

A representation of staff and students attended the Remembrance Day Ceremony at Firs Field, Combe Down, Bath to honour those who served and sacrificed. Representing our school were Cadets from the Air, Army, Sea, and Fire services, alongside Scouts and Guides, with our parish priest, Father Bill OSM, joining as a representative of our Catholic community. Carys, laid a wreath on behalf of St Gregory’s and we participated in a moving ceremony alongside many former service personnel from our locale.  

We also had a group of students in Year 11 and Year 12 who created a collaborative piece for a project run by The Royal Commonwealth Society, Bath and District Branch. The project, 'Tomorrow To Be Brave', celebrated the achievements of 12 remarkable women who each made a huge contribution to the war effort. We chose the spitfire pilot Joy Lofthouse and our piece is proudly displayed in 44AD Gallery along with pieces made by other schools celebrating different women.

On Monday 11 November, Remembrance Day, we attended a special service in the Abbey followed by a reception in the gallery. Mrs Bowden led the trip and Mrs George was in attendance, along with some of the students who made the piece. We heard the Military Wives choir sing and found the service both moving and inspiring. Visit their website to find out more: https:// www.44ad.net/tomorrow-to-be-brave-2024.html