YEAR six pupils from South Farnham School were privileged to join the heads of state from Britain and Germany at a Remembrance Service at Westminster Abbey on Sunday, November 11 as a result of the school’s work with the Never Such Innocence charity.

A budding poet at Princethorpe College visited Buckingham Palace to attend the final of a Remembrance poetry and art competition after she won it last year.

Hannah Owens, 17, won the ‘Never Such Innocence’ competition with her poem ‘Dear Ivy’ in 2017. The competition, which has been held every year since 2014, gives young people the chance to commemorate the First World War by writing poetry and creating art.

A Carrick Academy art teacher was invited to Buckingham Palace in recognition of her contribution to the education of young people about World War I.

Mrs. S Long had entered pupils in an art competition organised by the ‘Never Such Innocence’ charity.

A MEMORIAL which has been 99 years in the making has been unveiled at a Petersfield school.

A permanent tribute to the 54 Old Churcherians who died during the First World War has finally been set in stone.

ROSES, lilies, and heather rather than the customary poppies decorated the grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey on Sunday, during a service to commemorate the Armistice of 1918.

An Armagh teenager is to read a prayer in front of a congregation of world leaders at a Westminster Abbey thanksgiving service on the centenary of Armistice Day.

The charity Never Such Innocence, of which I am president, provides briefing packs for schools and holds an annual competition of poems, songs and artwork. Through this, the children have their say, and it is important that we listen.

One of the highlights was the reading of a poem ‘A Holiday’ which appears in a new book entitled ‘Never Such Innocence’.  The poem was composed by Churcher’s Sixth Form pupil, Maddie Macey who this week was invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace for all those published in this book.  The royal reception was one of a huge number events going on around the world at this time, close to the 11th of the 11th, 100 years since the end of the 1st World War.

Two poems were read, one by Lili Fairclough from Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy who read a composition she wrote for the Never Such Innocence First World War poetry competition, and one by actor Jim Carter, who read For The Fallen by Robert Laurence Binyon.

Local student Molly Meleady-Hanley wrote the poem entitled ‘My Brother Dan’ in commemoration of the Sheffield Pals. It was a winner in the 2017-18 Poetry and Art Competition (14-16 year category). 

Three schoolgirls whose heroic relatives served in World War I and sacrificed their lives have shared what Remembrance Day means to them.

The youngsters, Molly Meleady-Hanley, Maisy Dabell and Erin Thomas, who are among the winners in a 'Thank You' creative competition run by The Royal British Legion and Never Such Innocence, tell how their ancestors' bravery moved them.

Hamish Scott, 15, from the Isle of Harris, was invited to attend after his poem Scapa Flow – written in Gaelic – won a competition organised by the Never Such Innocence (NSI) charity, which was set up to give children a voice in the commemorations.

Morrigan Atherton, from Chorley, was tasked with the project after winning first place at the Never Such Innocence Awards for the artwork Behind Each Man, showing a soldier in the trenches.

She has now been commissioned to draw a large First World War drawing which will be on continuous display at Horwich Heritage Centre.

Read more about this fantastic achievement here.