The feeling that Christmas should bring
people
together was beautifully expressed when children from each of
Egremont's primary schools, St Bridget's Primary, Orgill Primary and
Bookwell Primary, congregated in St Mary's Roman Catholic Church to
sing a mixture of traditional carols and modern Christmas songs. In
the view of Julie Irving, head teacher of Orgill, the event showed
the importance of sharing and togetherness are at this special time
of year, and Pam Douglas, head teacher of St Bridget's, said that it
gave them "a real sense of community and belonging."
Bookwell's head teacher, Christopher Ashcroft, explained that the
event had originally been planned for last Christmas, but the
atrocious weather conditions had forced its cancellation at the last
minute. All the schools are so pleased that it went ahead this year
and hope that this service is one of many which brings all of
Egremont's school children together. The
songs included many traditional carols, sung with great spirit and a
lovely sense of rhythm, and also some songs which strikingly
emphasised the value of the most menial occupations, like sweeping
out the stable:
“Sweep out the old hay, bring in the new,
What a smelly job, that may be true,
But without me, what would the animals do.”
The stable boy and the shepherds as well as Jesus had an important
job to do.
The schools are already cooperating in plans are already underway to
organise some kind of summer sporting event, linked to the London
Games.
Egremont Town Band leads the
parade - photo Edna Branthwaite
Naval cadets lead March in
Cleator Moor photo Andy Crow
Rev'd Richard Lee and Fr Peter
Sayer on Remembrance Day - photo Andy Crow
people
together was beautifully expressed when children from each of
Egremont's primary schools, St Bridget's Primary, Orgill Primary and
Bookwell Primary, congregated in St Mary's Roman Catholic Church to
sing a mixture of traditional carols and modern Christmas songs. In
the view of Julie Irving, head teacher of Orgill, the event showed
the importance of sharing and togetherness are at this special time
of year, and Pam Douglas, head teacher of St Bridget's, said that it
gave them "a real sense of community and belonging." 
The
songs included many traditional carols, sung with great spirit and a
lovely sense of rhythm, and also some songs which strikingly
emphasised the value of the most menial occupations, like sweeping
out the stable: