Heartlands was invited to take part in the national commemoration of the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. On 1st July 1916 nearly 20,000 British soldiers were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France.
Lauren Sheriden, Gerold Biris, Tijana Uludag-Whyte, Mario Likcani and Toby Glover-Meyer attended a service at Westminster Abbey on the evening of Thursday 30th June. The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prime Minister were all in attendance.
Tijana read the story of Private John Jackson at 6am on Friday 1st July whilst the other students stood for fifteen minutes in silent vigil around the tomb of the unknown warrior.
‘The students and staff at Heartlands High School are incredibly proud to be asked to take part in the commemoration events to mark 100 years since the start of the battle of the Somme. Our students are keenly aware of the importance of such an anniversary and this event enables them to connect with the incredible sacrifice and loss of the time. It is humbling to be a part of it.’ Mr Garrill
