Rushden Alfred Street School pupils and staff recognised for contribution to Remembrance and the Poppy Appeal

Staff and pupils at a Rushden school have been rewarded with town-wide recognition of their efforts for their commitment to Remembrance.

Alfred Street Junior School was presented with the annually-awarded Poppy Cup by Rushden’s Royal British Legion (RBL) members.

It is the second time the school has won the accolade after raising twice as much money for the Poppy Appeal as other schools and getting involved in a series of Remembrance events.

Lynne Baker, Rushden RBL’s schools’ liaison officer, said: “Alfred Street School puts Remembrance into everything they do. I’m extremely proud of the young people.”

The mayor of Rushden, Cllr Adrian Winkle, presented the cup and award certificate to the school on behalf of the RBL in honour of its support, including raising an average of £1.80 per pupil.

During the past year pupils have been involved in numerous events related to Remembrance, including hosting a coffee morning in commemoration of the anniversary of the school’s bombing, Year 6 children learning about Walter Tull and his contributions during the First World War as part of Black History Month, and taking part in the Garden of Remembrance service at Rushden War Memorial.

Headteacher Kelly O'Connor told the assembly: “I’m so proud of your achievements. You have shown your respect for all the servicemen and women. I’m very, very proud of you.”

Cllr Winkle said: “Many congratulations on your hard work. You can be very proud of achieving this.”

Mrs O'Connor added: “It’s not just about the money raised, it’s about how the children conducted themselves.”