Shrewsbury Colleges Group students to mark Remembrance across all three campuses

Students and staff from Shrewsbury Colleges Group will be concurrently performing Remembrance services at their three campuses today.

The poppy nets are already proudly cascading from each building and are visible to passers-by at the London Road, English Bridge and Welsh Bridge Campuses.

The poignant services, which will involve staff and students across the whole group, will pay tribute to all the men and women who lost their lives fighting for their country. Staff and students will gather at their respective campuses to take part in or watch the event that has been organised by Commercial Manager and War veteran, Ted Coxon.

Mr Coxon, who was a Sergeant Major with the Light Infantry and Rifles Regiment and has completed over ten active tours, including in Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland, said: “This year is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium, the bloodiest battle of World War One, and as time passes the living memory is fading. That is why this service is great for the students getting involved and for the ones watching. It is important that they are made aware of these world events and keep the memories of all the great servicemen and women alive.

“It is also a brilliant opportunity for the College students to have the chance to perform in front of their peers.”

They will take place in front of a backdrop of poppies that have been placed on a cascading, camouflage, army net draped over the college buildings. They were designed following the 2015 Tower of London Poppy Display which saw nearly 900,000 ceramic poppies displayed at the Tower of London. The programmes at all three campuses include a variety of songs, poems and music performed by college students.

Samira Hills, 16, a Music Technology student who is performing John Lennon’s Imagine at London Road campus said: “I am really pleased that I was asked to play the piano during the remembrance ceremony. I feel proud that I can honour all the past and present servicemen and women. This song was my first choice because of the message that it conveys and I am looking forward to performing it for such a worthy cause.”

The service at all three campuses will simultaneously start at 10.50am and finally be brought to a close with a student performing an emotional rendition of The Last Post and Revelle on a bugle at London Road and on a trumpet at the other campuses.