Today we came together at 11am for our Service of Remembrance to mark and remember the ultimate sacrifice that 73 Orleyans made in both World Wars. The staggering numbers involved and the sheer horrors endured make this event hard enough for adults to comprehend, let alone children.
Therefore, this year we turned to more recent sacrifices and the story of Sergeant Rick Clement who lost both of his legs in an explosion back in 2010. At the time he was told that he would never walk again and yet he walked to lay a wreath this Sunday. Adversity is something that Orley Farm pupils will need to face and overcome and days like today allow us to make this very real.
The Service concluded with our community gathering around the memorial garden at the front of the school. Year 8 pupils planted a symbolic poppy for each former pupil who died in WWI & WWII, as Mr Wright and Mr Cato read their names; a very moving and thought provoking moment.
Tim Calvey