The life of Bride School and its contribution to the community will be celebrated at a church service and tea.
Bride School, which houses infants, will close at the end of the summer term, it was announced in February. The school has just three remaining pupils of school age and they will transfer to Andreas Primary School, with which Bride is merged.
The celebration event will take place the day before term ends, Thursday 19th July, and will be attended by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Adam Wood.
The invitation-only service at 2pm will be held at St Bridget’s Church and will be conducted by the Reverend Brian Evans-Smith, the Vicar of Bride. He will lead prayers and a conduct a special blessing for the pupils and staff.
His Excellency will read from the Bible, while the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Mann, the Right Reverend Robert Paterson, will lead a period of reflection and a final blessing.
Bronwen Udy, Headteacher of Andreas and Bride Schools, will read ‘The Last Boy’, a story written by Bride Commissioner Michelle Edwin and inspired by archive material about the 136-year-old school. Mrs Edwin’s granddaughter attended Bride School and now goes to Andreas.
There will contributions by Sue Collier, an ex-headteacher at Bride, and Judith Hunt, the chairman of Andreas and Bride’s joint governing bodies, while past pupils will share memories of school life.
The schools’ choir will sing ‘Wherever You Are’, the song made famous by the Military Wives.
The proceeds of a retiring collection will be given to a school in Jamaica, a cause close to the heart of the Reverend Evans-Smith. Money made via the sale of a DVD featuring former pupils sharing their memories of Bride School will also boost the cause.
After the service, guests will be invited back to the school, which is next door to the church, for tea.
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