In the autumn term, the history and art departments held a competition to design a mural with a remembrance theme.  The winning design would then be painted on the outside wall of our replica First World War trench.  To give some background, in 2014 as with all schools we were given £1000 to commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War.  We decided to build a replica trench that was used for lessons and other activities, and pupils and guests enjoyed visiting and ‘experiencing’ in a small way what life in the trenches during the First World War was like. 

When Fitzalan moved to our new site, the builders constructed the shell of a new First World War trench for us.  It has taken a little time, but work on the inside of the trench is almost complete and we are hoping to be able to use it soon.  The back, outside wall of the trench was plain concrete and we decided it would be the perfect place for a remembrance mural.  Entries flooded in and we decided on a winning design created by Inaayah Akhtar who received a set of watercolours as her prize.  A number of runners up were also chosen James Karol, Sanika Ali, Gagana Abeykoon, Marsha Po, Amelia Khan and Anabia Keleem.  Members of the history and art department met with the winners and runners up and we talked through the final design. Inaayah Akhtar’s ideas formed the main design for the mural, but we also chose a few features from what the runners up had suggested to add to the final design.  Unfortunately, with the onset of winter weather, we weren’t able to begin painting, but all that changed on a sunny April day and work recreating the design on the wall began.  The winner and runners up were joined by a few other artistic pupils (Ava-Leigh Hall and Nibras Ahmed) and ex-pupils (Hazera Jannat and Maria Aldhifery) who volunteered to come in for the day to offer their artistic skills to support. They spent the day painting the mural with Mrs Evans from the art department.  The result is a fantastic mural that includes poppies and the silhouette of a soldier and a grave stone. 

The words ‘lest we forget’ and ‘Nid Anghofiwn’ bring the design together in a poignant and meaningful way.  Not only will the mural set the tone for visitors to the First World War trench, but it will also become a focal point for our remembrance events in November.  Well done and thank you to everyone involved in designing and painting the mural, it is a powerful piece of artwork of which we are all very proud.