Bishop Blesses Block

On Friday January 5th, 2001, the staff, pupils, governors and parents and many other local people turned out in force to welcome the Bishop of Chelmsford, our local MP, Bernard Jenkin, and the Mayor of Colchester, who were visiting the school to open the new building.

Fr Michael Whawell, the Chairman of the Governors opened proceedings with a short speech of welcome. He said how grateful he was that the Bishop had arrived, as according to the Church Times, the Bishop had already opened the block.

The New Block awaits its appointment with destiny

Fr Michael welcomes the guests - the Bishop, the Mayor and Bernard Jenkin MP

Christopher Beresford Jones, the chair of the Finance and Planning Commitee, then told the story of how the school's old WW2 air raid shelter has been converted to a new school block, containing an office for the Head Teacher, Mrs Branfield, a new ICT suite with 6 very smart PCs and an ISDN link to the internet, a staff room and a rest room. The total cost of the project was £70,000 of which the local community have raised over £20,000 through activities such as Bill Weatherill's sponsored walk from Lincoln to Wormingford, the Fun and Games day at the Crown Inn organised by Michael Garbi, many fundraising events by the Home and School Association, and some very generous individual contributions.
Christopher Beresford Jones tells the packed audience how it was done while the Bishop, Fr Michael, the Mayor, Bernard Jenkin and Mags Branfield look on

Mags Branfield then told everyone how wonderful it will be to have space to swing cats, hold meetings and generally enjoy and exploit the huge increase in elbow room the new block will provide, and how everyone, staff and pupils, will be able to achieve so much more with all the wonderful new facilities.

Everyone then followed the Bishop across the playground to watch him, ably assisted by the school's two newest and youngest pupils, cut the ribbon (3rd time lucky - that's the trouble with safety scissors).

Neil Catchpole and Norman Pells struggle for elbow room The Bishop and Mrs Branfield cross the playground
The trouble with safety scissors (is they don't cut ribbons very easily) Third time lucky! I name this block . . .

The Bishop spoke briefly about the significance of turning a relic of war (the new block used to be an air raid shelter) into a tool for learning and community - ". . . swords into ploughshares . . ." as he pointed out a Christmas reading from Isaiah had said .

 . . . swords into ploughshares . . .

To finish we all adjourned to the old school to eat splendid pastries and drink tea and coffee.

Eager beavers raring to go. 		The spread awaits