This year sees the centenary of the armistice at the end of the Great War. As a school we have some events planned to recognise this historic moment for the pupils but would like to raise your awareness of an event that is open for participation by all members of the St Ed’s community, pupils, parents, staff and old boys and girls alike. This will be in the form of a 37 hour continuous sponsored swim to remember our 37 alumni who gave their lives during the First World War.

The idea is that by combining all of the lengths swum, we will achieve a distance equivalent to travelling from mainland England to Albert at the heart of the Somme battlefield (157 km as the crow flies!), whilst raising money for the charity set up specifically to remember this centenary, ‘There but not there’. https://www.therebutnotthere.org.uk/ On completion we would be looking to buy commemorative ‘glass’ blocks for each of our 37 alumni who died, to create a poignant and permanent display for the school chapel. We would also like to buy a ‘six foot Tommy silhouette’ to place in a suitable and obvious place in the grounds.

The event will run from 6.00 on the morning of Friday 2nd November until 7.00 in the evening of Saturday the 3rd November. By the time of this event, there will be a large and impressive WW1 memorial area set up at the front of school, which will be well worth a visit.

If making your way to swim in the school pool is not convenient, but you would still like to take part in this very worthwhile event, then you may of course swim your lengths anywhere and let us know the distance covered, so that we can add it into the grand total. You can find a Sponsorship Form here.

All of our current pupils will swim during the course of their sports lessons on Friday, and can then join their families for some more swimming time on Saturday if they wish to do so. We are looking for committed volunteers to swim in one or two hour shifts throughout the anti-social hours between 7.00pm on Friday to 7.00am on Saturday and for volunteers to fill the pool on Saturday afternoon. Friday evening is the Form 8 – 10 Great escape event and some of those pupils taking part might have a delayed pick up allowing them to swim some lengths then too. Some of their parents might ‘put in some lengths’ whilst whiling away the time that their children are escaping (or not!). Saturday morning is an activities Saturday and so we are hoping that we will have loads of children swimming lengths throughout the morning!! Particularly during the anti-social swimming times, we will ensure that some snacks and drinks for energy replenishment and rehydration are made available for swimmers!

If taking part in the swim itself does not appeal, then we will also need volunteers to length-tally throughout various stages of the event, and the support of any qualified life-guards. We hope that you feel that this is a fitting way to remember the 37 OSE’s who fought for the freedom we enjoy today and any support or time you can give will be greatly appreciated.

If you would like to volunteer for a swimming or a non-swimming role, please can you email Emma Walliker on  ew@saintedmunds.co.uk who is taking on the role of co-ordinating this part of the event.