Ashfield School joins forces with Academy Transformation Trust Further Education College and Ashfield Fire Station for a Remembrance tribute

The display honours the sacrifices of servicemen and women, including local firefighters who lost their lives during both World Wars. It will be a poignant feature both inside and outside the Ashfield Fire Station.

This collaborative initiative builds on the school’s legacy of remembrance which has included a 2018 project which saw students created a vast array of handmade poppies to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I.

Students, along with their families, crafted poppies at home using materials ranging from plastic bottles and tissue paper to metal. The resulting artwork adorned the school hall in a breathtaking "waterfall of poppies" that displayed the students' creativity and community spirit.

This year Ashfield School has shared its original poppies for a new purpose - contributing to Ashfield Fire Station’s remembrance display. On 2nd November, the station held a special memorial service to honour all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, with a particular remembrance of three firefighters from Kirkby-in-Ashfield who were killed during the Blitz while safeguarding the people of Manchester during air raids.

The Ashfield Fire Station’s display stands as a solemn tribute to all those who served in past conflicts and continues to foster remembrance within the community. This partnership embodies the spirit of collective memory, uniting students, teachers and local fire fighters in honouring the resilience and dedication of those brave soldiers.

Helen Hughes, Ashfield School’s Art, Design and Technology Lead reflected:

“It is incredibly meaningful to see our poppy display becoming part of the wider community’s remembrance efforts. Our students and families poured their time and creativity into this project in 2018 and we’re proud that their work continues to serve as a tribute to those who gave everything for our freedoms.”

Carl Tolley of Ashfield Fire Station expressed his gratitude for the school’s contribution, underscoring the importance of the display:

“From us all at Ashfield Fire Station, we would like to thank Ashfield School for the loan of their poppy display material. The work you must have done to complete this could not have been easy. Your items will really enhance our display and be part of a fitting tribute to the fallen. We hope that our display will honour those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we all have today and especially remember the firefighters from Kirkby who lost their lives in the Blitz.”

Liz Barrett OBE, Principal of ATTFE College, said:

“ATTFE college and Together In Ashfield CIC were delighted to work alongside Notts Fire and Rescue to create Remembrance installations. War time silhouettes along with beautifully created poppies have ensured that those from our communities who lost their lives to war time are respectfully remembered and their sacrifices deeply appreciated.”