They are too young thankfully to remember the horrors of war but standing side by side with Veterans commemorating Armistice Day Today Wednesday the 11th of November were some of Dumfries’ youngest children.
For among those paying their respects at the War Memorial outside St John’s Church on Newall Terrace at 11 o’clock were the boys and girls from St Andrews School nursery on Brooke Street.
The wee lads and lassies have been working hard for the last fortnight preparing for Remembrance Day when were they joined Veterans and others to remember the fallen of conflict.
The children layed a wreath of poppies they had made in nursery before they headed off into the St John’s church hall afterwards for ‘poppy tea’.
Everyone was welcomed to join the children and their mums and dads, to enjoy a cup of tea and coffee and take a look at what the youngsters had been up to in nursery as part of their curriculum of excellence in social studies and how people lived in the past.
‘The children have been working really hard – and they have enjoyed it. It’s important they engage in festivals, celebrations and commemorations, ‘ said Nursery manager Fiona Douglas.
Fiona said by taking part in events like the two-minutes silence, the children even at a very tender age gain an understanding of the sacrifices that were in made wartime by so many brave people.
The pre-school kids, aged from three to five, have made their own poppies and drawn pictures of poppy fields; they have also been making their own war medals and building small Anderson air-raid shelters.
The children have also been busy baking wartime recipes like egg-free sponge which they will be taking along for their lunch and they will also be dancing and performing wartime marching songs like ‘pack up your troubles in your old kit bag.’
The nursery held the poppy tea last year but many of the veterans were not able to get along to Brooke Street so Robin Paisley, St John’s Rector, offered the use of the church hall instead, so many more this time can enjoy the children’s work.
Robin said: ‘It’s very encouraging that Brooke Street and other nurseries in Dumfries have come in previous years to the two-minutes silence on Remembrance Day. It is a welcome sign that these events are being passed on to future generations.’
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