St Antony’s Catholic Primary School Celebrates Black History Month 2024
St Antony’s Catholic Primary School Celebrates Black History Month 2024
Remembering Their Performance Worthy of A King
King Charles exudes pure deilight as he met the children and Staff of St Antony’s Catholic School from
Forest Gate, after their magnificent performamce at Windsor Castle last academic year. The school’s Music Ensemble’s instrumental redition of Bob Marley’s standards:‘One Love’ and ‘Three Little Birds (Don’t Worry About A Thing) ’ followed by Lord Kitchner’s ‘London Is The Place For Me’ transported all present to the Carribbean. The school’s multi-cultural mini-orchestra, was directed by music teacher Mr Nathan Chan who was supported by fellow colleague Miss Jenella Baptiste -Diversity and Inclusion Lead; seen beaming in the presence of His Royal Highness, as the King complemented the children for their renditions of the reggae and Carribean classics.
The National Service was held in Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of The Windrush Genertion in Britain was conducted by Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE KHC to a full capacity congregation gathered in St George’s Chapel at Winsor Castle a year ago. The chapel was packed to the rafters with inspiring and influential members of the British Black and Ethnic Minority Community. Also in attendance at this momentous event were Head Teacher Mrs Angela Moore and Deputy Head, Miss Yvonne Wade who were specially invited by the organisers of the event by virtue of the school’s prior outstanding performances of original poetry and songs for the official unveiling ceremony of the Wind Rush Monument officiated by the now Prince and Princess of Wales on Windrush Day on the 22nd of June 2022.
The monument commemorates the British West Indian immigrants who came to the United Kingdom on board HMT Empire Windrush in 1948- followed by those who continued to come to Britain following in the footsteps of their ancestors right up to 1971. All subsequently became known as the Windrush Generation. Many of the pupils’ family members fall under this umberella therefore.
The School’s Choir performed the song “You Called…We Came” –a poem penned by Professor Laura Serrant OBE who has visited the school and was a guest speaker for their year six leavers ceremony. To honour Professor Serrant, the music lead at St Antony’s set her poem to music and performed it for her at the Year 6 ceremony in 2021. The song has now become known as the Windrush Anthem and was joyfully sung by the pupils on the occasion of the unveiling of the monument at Waterloo Station in Central London on June 22nd, 2022- Windrush Day. The choir also performed the anthem at the showcase held at the South Bank Centre later that evening to a massive audience. The Deputy Head of the school, Miss Wade, had her choral speaking group deliver an unforgettable performance of her original poem honouring the Windrush Generation entitled: “Passport To Prove.”
One of the major patrons of the event, Baroness Floella Benjamin shared memories of her personal Windrush journey to Britain with the children and all gathered in her insightful and profound words...
“I remember vividly my own moment of arrival, as a 10 year old – stepping off the train and standing on Platform 19 at Waterloo station. That spot, familiar to so many of us and our parents, is less than a few hundred metres from where the Windrush Monument will stand in perpetuity.” Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE
