SLGGS Students Help Make Canterbury's St Nicholas Parade a Success

Date posted:Monday 5th December 2011

Students from Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School made the most of their individual skills in art, textiles and music to help contribute to the success of the annual St Nicholas Parade in Canterbury on Saturday.

Girls studying Textiles were happy to give their time and talents to help design, create and heat-press two large five-metre long banners that were hung from the top of the Westgate Towers where the parade began. The banners were then moved to the Cathedral for display in a short service to celebrate the traditional story of St Nicholas.  

Textiles teacher, Miss Goddard who supported the parade with her students and who ran up and down the towers to move the banners, said: “The Year 8 and 9 students, along with Year 13 Textiles rep, Izzy Richardson, worked incredibly hard on the two banners, giving up lunchtimes and Saturdays to complete the project.”

Director of Music, Mrs Young, was also proud of the contribution made by her students: “The Samba band led the procession through town, and into the Cathedral service, and then afterwards our Soul'n'Funk band played a very popular 45-minute set on the Rose Square stage. It was our most fun St Nicholas' day ever, and we are all very grateful to Peter Cook, who bought the whole community together in such a spectacular way.”

Students in Year 7 girls created festive lanterns in Art lessons to carry with them on the parade. Head of Art, Miss Burke explained: "The girls made paper cut outs and laminated them to create the lantern shapes. They then made felt balls to decorate them, added lights and finally hooked them onto bamboo sticks. A group of students came along to show off their creations as part of the parade."

The parade, organised in conjunction with the City Centre Partnership and the Cathedral forms part of the St Nicholas Festival which this year is raising funds for Mothers' Union Away From It All Holidays and Holding On Letting Go, a child bereavement charity.

View pictures of the banners, the musicians and the parade in our online gallery