School's green message as Patronal Festival opens

ONCE upon a time, concerts by children were twee, saccharine-sweet affairs.

Appealing but without depth.

Pupils of St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary School have demonstrated how much times have changed.

Yesterday's concert was the school's opening-day contribution to the four-day St Peter's patronal festival.

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The huge hand-painted environmental posters which greeters held at the church door to welcome the public to the concert were a broad indication of what was to come.

The youngsters' theme was God's creation and what the human race is doing to desecrate it.

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" sang the youngsters in an opening reprise of Joni Mitchell's telling Big Yellow Taxi.

These were young people who were not only there to entertain but to punch home a message.

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Through their music and especially through their own sketches, Year 5 were committed and persuasive green apostles.

They entreated their appreciative audience not to throw litter, be party to the felling of rain forests or waste water while cleaning their teeth.

A tight and effective half-hour ended with tomorrow's movers and shakers in growing confidence, singing I Can Do Anything At All, I Can Climb The Highest Mountain.

"Thank you all so much. You have given us a lot to think about," the Rev Olivia Werrett told the pupils, before leading the gathering in closing prayer.

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Pupils of St Mary's School, Wrestwood, will be presenting today's lunch-time concert in the church at 12.30.

Town Mayor Cllr Patrick Douart opens the festival art and photographic exhibition in St Peter's Community Centre at 10am today.

It features output by members of Bexhill Artists' Workspace and Bexhill Photographic Club.