Vivat Regina!

Published on isbi School News dated Monday 11th of June 2012

St Benedict's Jubilee celebrations were launched on Thursday 31st May by a History Society lecture entitled 'HM Queen Elizabeth II and the importance of the monarchy for Britain today'. The speaker, Mr Craig Wilks, Head of History, explained the pivotal role the British Monarchy has played in providing the stability and security Britain has enjoyed in recent centuries.
On Friday 1st June, St Benedict's School held a street party to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. At midday, the whole School gathered for Mass in the Abbey. The Mass included bidding prayers for the Queen, the national anthem and songs of thanksgiving. Members of the CCF wore their uniforms to commemorate soldiers who fight for our Queen and Country. After Mass the street party began. BBC School Reporter Oliver Buchanan (Year 9) describes the scene: 'Everyone was looking forward to the lunch, especially as it was free today! Pupils and teachers chose pizza, burger or hotdog and chips, queuing under a canopy of Union Jacks strung across the hall. Luckily the weather was good. Everybody took their seats in the playground with smiles on their faces, surrounded by flags of the UK and pictures of our Queen. Many pupils also had the initiative to decorate their own classrooms.'
On Sunday 3rd June, Leading Cadet Oliver Lythgoe (Year 10) took part in the Thames Pageant, along with over 200 Sea Cadets, sailing in powered Trinity 500's in a diamond formation, each boat carrying a flag of a Commonwealth nation. Here are some extracts from Oliver's BBC School Report: 'At around two in the afternoon, the Cadets completed arguably the most challenging manoeuvre of the entire day, taking up the diamond formation on the river in the space of less than half an hour�During the Pageant the diamond passed through a total of 18 bridges with segments of it having to break formation and then reform at almost every bridge. Highlights of the Pageant for our Trinity included the three cheers we all gave to Her Majesty The Queen as we passed The Royal Barge and being saluted by HRH The Princess Royal from the vessel, Trinity Lighthouse Number 1, when we had to do another turn upstream. It was not until we passed underneath Tower Bridge that the significance of what we had just achieved really hit us. This had been a once in a lifetime opportunity and to be part of such as historic event was truly tremendous.'

Oliver Buchanan's BBC School Report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/18301706

Oliver Lythgoe's BBC School Report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/18342088