Parkside Remembrance Day 2014
On Tuesday 11th November 2014 we were invited by Parkside School to take part in a Remembrance Service and football match. The new Headmaster, Mr Mark Beach, on arrival at the school in September found a picture of an old Parkside football team from 1914. With this year being 100 years on from that date and having lost more than 20 ex-pupils in the First and Second World Wars, the idea of marking the event with a service and short football match was decided upon.
The morning started with a speech from Mr Beach and a local minister, followed by some reading and extracts read out by some senior pupils. One of the Parkside pupils then played “The Last Post” on the bugle, which was very moving. After a two minute silence we then prepared for the football match.
Both teams designed special shirts for the occasion, mocking up old fashioned quarter shirts in the colour of their school. The boys from both sides looked nervous at the start having never played in front of over 300 spectators before. The match was a very close affair with both schools creating opportunities to score. The deadlock was broken in the second half after a Parkside free kick swerved through the wall beating the outstretched Kingswood goalkeeper. Despite Kingswood having several chances late in the game Parkside held on to finish the game victorious 1-0, some would say a fitting end to the day.
The boys then had a brief presentation followed by a match tea while many of the distinguished guests headed off for lunch.
A lovely way to mark such a significant event.
Nick Procter
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