Conservative County Councillor Richard Butroid has teamed up with Scampton Church to kickstart a campaign to raise £2,200 to engage children in an arts project about remembrance when they eventually return to school in the Autumn term. The project is linked to the R.A.F. Scampton Commemorative Stained Glass Window Appeal currently running at the church.
Many pupils of Scampton Primary School and Pollyplatt Community Primary School are locked down at home, and they will only return to school, full time, in the autumn. Local minister Reverend Sue Deacon said:
"An educational arts, history and remembrance project for all 200 pupils is aimed at giving them a lift back into school life as a reality instead of a virtual life! 'VE75 Remembrance Day will be an ideal opportunity to ease children back into reality engaging them in a collective project of local interest and importance. Many children have no concept of the sacrifices made by previous generations which enable them to live in a free and democratic country, but this project will help to address that while enabling them to develop something tangible for their community."
The pupils will be talked to by Squadron Leader Mark Discombe, spitfire pilot and officer commanding the BBMF and, Ray Bainborough, the chairman of the Lincolnshire Lancaster Association. Under the guidance of Claire Williamson, the RAF commemorative window designer, the children will design and make a glazed tile each which will represent their understanding of ‘remembrance’. The tiles will be joined together to make six framed collages; two will be given, one each, to each school, one to The Dambusters Inn (village pub), one to RAF Scampton, one to The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (The Red Arrows) and one to the Scampton Church
A selection of tiles will be displayed at a VE75 Remembrance Service at Scampton Church on the 8th November 2020 and then, hopefully, again at The RAF Scampton Heritage Centre on 11th November 2020 (Remembrance Day) when all 200 children, staff, parents and carers will take part in a remembrance service in the 617 Squadron hanger. (subject to authorization and the lifting of Covid restrictions).
Both head teachers are keen to implement the project in their schools.
Councillor Butroid, whose Gainsborough Rural Division includes Scampton, was captivated by the project and its potential and chose it as one of the recipients of a £3,000 fund made available to him – and all other county councillors – to apply at his discretion in support of projects which benefitted their local community at this time.
A raffle has been organised to raise the rest of the funds necessary (www.scamptonchurch.org/aviationraffle). As all raffle ticket selling functions have been cancelled the organisers are seeking help from anyone who would be willing to receive some raffle ticket books to sell to make this project a reality for the children. Please contact the project co-ordinator at rafwindow@scamptonchurch.org if you can help.
