[02
JUN 00] COVENTRY
AND WARWICKSHIRE PROMOTIONS NEWS
Children Gather To Mark Millennium
 Instead
of a dome, Coventry is having a series of tents to mark the millennium
– but they will still bring more visitors than the London
attraction!
More
than 7,000 schoolchildren from Coventry are preparing for possibly the
biggest gathering of young people the same age in the city ever.
All
Schools’ Day will be held in the Memorial Park next Thursday to
allow Year five and six pupils from 87 Coventry schools to mark the
millennium together.
The
7,122 pupils will be coming in two shifts to see a series of
entertainers and displays covering the last 1,000 years of the
city’s history.
And
they will be joining together during the middle of the day for a
moment of reflection.
The
Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Rev Colin Bennetts, will be leading the
moment of reflection with Lord Mayor Sheila Collins and 35
representatives of faiths in the city as the youngster together in a
formation that will produce a peace symbol.
Weather
permitting, a small aeroplane will fly overhead with a photographer in
it to record the moment forever.
Children
from the schools have been learning about the various characters in
the city’s history as part of the Coventry Characters project.
These
people will be coming to life in the park, along with street theatre
artists and people demonstrating traditional crafts and traditions.
And
there will also be an area devoted to the future, allowing the
youngsters to say how they think life will change as they grow up.
Organisers
Coventry and Warwickshire Promotions are putting the event on as part
of a series of activities to mark the millennium. It follows the
Millennium Eve tightrope walk and precedes a production of the
Medieval Mystery plays later this summer.
The
company thinks it could be the largest single gathering of children
the same age in the city.
Organiser
Gareth Jenkins said:
"We're
delighted that so many schools have embraced the idea of this event.
We're determined to make it a fun day out for the children,
which will also give them some food for thought."
Do
you remember any larger events in Coventry for children? Perhaps you
were at the Festival of Britain celebrations in 1951 and can tell us
about them, or the Queen’s silver jubilee in 1977.
Email
editor@cwn.org.uk with your
memories and try and find your former classmates in our Find
A Schoolfriend section.
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