6:50pm Thursday 24th May 2012
By Matthew Edwards
FORMER pupils of Kingsdown School are being invited to take a trip down memory lane and help the school celebrate its Platinum Jubilee.
On July 13, the school will be opening its doors to lots of former students, to mark its special day.
The celebrations, will start with a short tour around the school, taking in a class and offering a chance for guests to take part in an art project.
The anniversary fun will be opened out to the wider community around Stratton St Margaret on July 14, when Kingsdown will open its sports centre from 11am to 4pm, for a big celebration.
Lesley Bayliss, the extended schools and community development co-ordinator, is hoping to get as many of Kingsdown’s former pupils there as possible on the day, to mark the 75th anniversary.
She said: “The school has had some significant changes over the last five years, so we thought it would be a lovely idea to share it with ex-staff and pupils.
“This will be a chance to chat, catch up and share memories.
“We are asking people to bring in their old school photos to share and will have old school records for viewing.”
A lot has changed since June Coates, 82, of Lower Stratton, attended the school during the Second World War years from 1941 to 1944.
She said: “I attended the school at the age of 11, during the war.
“Many evacuees from London were living with families in Upper Stratton and Kingsdown, which swelled the number of pupils so much that Kingsdown was overflowing.
“The British Legion hall, in St Philips Road, was used as temporary classrooms.”
She added: “When I reflect on my time at Kingsdown, it is with great fondness.
“Music was high on the list of pleasure for me at Kingsdown.To this day, I have a great love of good music, which I have always been grateful to Kingsdown for.
“My three children all attended Kingsdown and now my granddaughter does. I hope, in years to come, her memories will be as happy and as poignant as mine.”
The tours must be pre-booked. To arrange a place, ex-pupils must email kingsdown75@kingsdownschool.co.uk or call 01793 837101.
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