Oxfordshire Remembers Background
Oxfordshire remembers. Photo copyright Joanne Onions
Marlborough C of E School students, Miss Gunning and I, were delighted to be part of Oxfordshire Remembers 2018, part of the RBL’s Thank You Campaign.
In 2018 the centenary of the end of the First World War was very much on people’s minds across the UK. A small group from across Oxfordshire, supported by the Oxfordshire Lieutenancy, had set up a project to ensure that school children across the county were encouraged to understand the significance and impact of the ‘War to End all Wars’ and to help to create a lasting legacy of the work they were doing. The work linked to the Oxfordshire Remembers exhibition which took place at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum from November 2018 and the Museum supported the project with linked programmes for schools.
The students got together to develop a presentation on Woodstock in WW1 and debate the following question.
‘The time has come to end our commemoration of those who died during WW1. The 200th anniversary should be about promoting peace rather than looking back at the dead.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
We were invited to St Hugh’s College on the 26th June for a Secondary School Conference which was really enjoyable and provoking. Our students fully engaged with the speakers and workshops provided.
Sue Smith has been working on a local case study on Conscientious Objectors in Oxford. She told us about local tribunal cases and how difficult it is to find out information after so much of it was destroyed. She also mentioned that plaques of commemoration were up in some parts of the country including Oxford’s Bonn Square and so I popped along to find it.
The presentations were made in front of invited guests which included Oxfordshire’s Lord Lieutenant Tim Stevenson & the Chairwoman of Oxfordshire County Council Gill Sanders.
Each school was presented with a book by Kate Tiller entitled Remembrance & Community: War Memorials & Local History and the student’s displays were featured in an exhibition in Oxford as part of Remembrance Commemorations.
They were invited to attend the memorial service at Christchurch Cathedral on Saturday the 10th of November.
The service contained poems, readings and a re-enacting of a part of War Horse. Alex Dellar wrote: “When we went to Christ Church we had lots of fun and emotions. It was really interesting to see the choices they had made in the programme. I liked the re-enacted scenes from ‘War Horse’; this was very emotional as they choose particular scenes from the book that pulled at the heart. At the end we laid crosses for the fallen soldiers from Oxfordshire. This was very inspiring”.
“It was an honour to be chosen to take part in this project and to be able to celebrate Remembrance at Christ Church Cathedral. The service was truly inspirational and had a great impact on all who attended. The service was a great way to finish off our contribution to the Oxfordshire Remembers project, and it will always stay with us”
Jasmine Barnes and Sophie Brett.
