On Friday 16 September, Holgate students gathered to commemorate the life of Her Majesty The Queen.
In a fitting tribute, Principal, Mr Pennington, talked about Her Majesty’s life and her 70 years of dedication to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, as well as the many other lives she touched across the globe.
Holgate prefects then recounted a number of historic events that had taken place throughout her long reign, including the first man to step foot on the moon, England winning the World Cup, the development of the internet, all the way through to Brexit and the Covid pandemic.
David Harkins poem, She is Gone, was read, along with memories and reflections from Holgate students about The Queen:
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
This was then followed by a two-minute silence and the playing of The Last Post.
Mr Pennington said: “The staff were overwhelmed by the desire of our pupils to be involved in the event. Pupils from the different cadet organisations and our prefects spoke with purpose, wore uniforms with pride and represented the respect of the Academy community perfectly.”
The event was a wonderful way to commemorate and reflect upon the long life, service and dedication of a very special Queen. She will be missed by many.
