Message from Eluned Watson at the Derwen College.
Derwen College, in Gobowen, is delighted to be a part of Oswestry's WW1 commemorations as part of the Wilfred Owen Festival.
A poem created by a group of students will feature on the Wilfred Owen bronze statue to be unveiled at Cae Glas Park on 20th October.
Students from the college have also created ceramic poppies and a poppy and forget-me-not mural for Oswestry Library.
PRESS RELEASE
Students create in memory of Oswestry war poet
A commemorative poem written by students at a specialist Shropshire college is to be displayed on the country's first life sized statue of Oswestry-born war poet Wilfred Owen.
Students at Derwen College, in Gobowen, near Oswestry, wrote a poem entitled '100 Years' which has been incorporated on a life-sized bronze statue of Wilfred Owen by local artist Tim Turner. The statue will be unveiled in Oswestry's Cae Glas Park on Saturday, 20th October as part of a week-long World War One festival of commemoration and remembrance culminating on Armistice Day.
The statue features Owen in military uniform with a book and a pencil in hand. Words from his letters and poems will adorn the statue, along with five new poems written by local schools and colleges including Derwen College.
As part of the commemorations, Derwen College Creative Studies students have also been busy producing ceramic poppies and a poppy and forget-me-not mural and ceramic poppies to be displayed at Oswestry Library.
Wilfred Owen Festival commitee member Jan Wilkins said that she was pleased to have been able to work with Derwen College on the project.
She said: "The students at Derwen College composed an incredibly touching poem; I loved the way their work all came together. This poem will share pride of place with the works of Wilfred Owen and schools from the area."
Chris Woods - Festival Head Co-ordinator said: "Having just read Derwen College poem, I have been deeply moved . . . and I can see why Jan suggested I have a hankie close by when reading it."
The students will be reading their poem as part of 'A Poets Day' on Sunday 4th November at Oswestry School, tickets priced £5. Go to the festival website for more details at http://www.wilfredowenoswestry2018.org.uk/events/2018-11/
Derwen College, in Gobowen, is a specialist college for young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. The college offers students the opportunity to learn new skills in real work environments and to learn life skills which will enable them to live as independently as possible. The college has received three consecutive 'outstanding' Ofsted gradings. For more information go to www.derwen.ac.uk.
100 Years
Poem by Derwen College students
One hundred years since Wilfred died,
Yet all his words are still alive.
Oswestry, born and raised,
He wrote about men and the lives they gave.
Teacher and soldier, a Cross received,
But his parents and siblings were left to grieve.
Those soldiers will not die in vain,
No longer will they walk in the rain.
Wilfred died young in the First World War,
But his poems we'll remember him for.
-- Yoland Brown Brownhill House B&B & Garden, Ruyton XI Towns nr. Shrewsbury SY4 1LR Tel: 01939 261 121 brownhill@eleventowns.co.uk www.eleventowns.co.uk www.eleventowns.org uk www.eleventowns.com ShACC - Shropshire Alternative Car Club - www.ShACC-uk.org MAILING LIST for Ruyton XI Towns area Yo`s blog: http://Yo-emails.blogspot.co.uk
