Village July2019

Oakalls Village
Remembering D-Day
Sarah Rees reports on the
latest happenings on
the Oakalls and Parklands.
A
commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day
was held at St Godwald’s Church in Aston Fields as
part of the Annual Patronal Service of Thanksgiving
for The Friends of St Godwald.
More than 100 people attended, including representatives
from The Royal British Legion (Bromsgrove Branch),
Cadets, Bromsgrove District Council, Finstall Parish Council,
Bromsgrove Court Leet and residents wishing to remember
the 22,442 troops who fell in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
A poppy wreath was placed beneath the dedicated
stone carving created by the late Robert Pancheri, a wellknown
local craftsman, in recognition of the many who fell
on the beaches in Normandy. Prayers were said by members
of St Godwald’s Church Lay Team in tribute.
Please contact me with your news, views and
concerns about any aspect of life on the estate.
Email: oakalls@villageonline.co.uk
Year 3 children at Finstall First
School enjoyed exploring life in Victorian
Britain, including a visit to the
school by time-travelling detective
Professor McGinty. He transported
the youngsters back to the 1880s in
his time machine, where they discovered
a variety of artefacts such as
a Dunce’s cap, a carpet beater and a
selection of coins.
The children also had a Victorian
dress-up day (below), learning
how schools have changed since
the 1800s, and a trip to the Black
Country Museum with an immersive
learning experience.
TIME-TRAVEL AND Science fun
Year 3 pupil Alice said: “I really
enjoyed learning about the different
punishments that children had in a
Victorian school.”
Charlotte said: “I thought it was
good when I had to wear the ‘Dunce’
cap for not being able to say my
alphabet backwards!”
The school also held a Science
Day for all pupils, with a focus on
space to celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the Moon landing. Chris
Carney from As Creatives (below,
with pupils) visited the school and
held a special assembly, plus workshops
about different aspects of
space. These included space travel,
the story of stars and of course the
Moon landing.
Pupils then wrote newspaper
reports and space adventure stories,
as well as enjoying moon crater science
investigations, making moon
cookies, and art activities such as
planet collages and space rocket designs.
Some Year 1 children even got
to travel through the solar system
using virtual reality headsets.
32 The Village July 2019