The following message has been sent today (Monday) to pupils of Bangor Grammar School by Assistant Principal Stephen Robinson. We have been asked to share it with past pupils ‘far and wide.’

Bangor Grammar School would usually hold a Remembrance Service on the Friday before Remembrance Sunday. Pupils from Year 11 and 13 attend along with members of the Board of Governors and representatives of the Grammarians’ Association. This year we have not been able to do this. This year separation and, for some, isolation have become the new normal and opportunities for communities to meet together have become increasingly difficult. However, COVID-19 has forced us to consider what is important and has made us consider how we can ensure that things of value can continue.
Over the past few weeks we have recreated our traditional Service in a socially distant style and this has been filmed by one of our Year 12 pupils, Peter Allen.
On Wednesday 11 November the whole Bangor Grammar Community will come together in an Act of Remembrance. Between 10:40 and 11:05am boys and staff will put down their pens, take their fingers off their keyboards, stop cooking or whatever they would normally be doing and wherever they are join together to be a part of our Remembrance Service.
There will be some disruption to the timings of Break and our normal Break Service. The details will be communicated to your son through our Announcements tomorrow and on Wednesday morning.
Poppies will be available to buy in the Atrium tomorrow and Wednesday morning and in the Library at Break time tomorrow. We would hope that all of the school community would wear a poppy on Wednesday. In this year when the Royal British Legion has been unable to raise funds in its normal fashion, I would suggest that a minimum donation of £1 a poppy be appropriate and would hope that you could ensure your son has some money with him to ‘buy’ a poppy before the Service commences.
Our Remembrance Service will be available on the school website from 10am on Wednesday in case you would wish to join us. The video lasts for about 24 minutes and our period of silent reflection occurs after 21 minutes and 10 seconds if you would wish to try to coordinate this service with an 11am two-minute silence.
Please note that during this service, the school switchboard will be turned off and the gates unmanned to allow the entire school community to come together.
If for any reason, you would rather that your son does attend this service, please contact the school by 3pm on Tuesday 10th November via info@bgs.bangor.ni.sch.uk.
Kind Regards,
Stephen Robinson
Assistant Principal