Ascension Day, on 26 May 2022, gave pupils at Kings of Wessex Accademy in Cheddar the opportunity to restore a 139 year old tradition.
The youngest students in the school in Year 9 aged 13/14, and the oldest, in Year 13, came to St Andrews Church in Cheddar for a short service together, after which Year 9 students went into the vicarage garden to have “sticky buns”. While they munched the buns the school brass band climbed 149 steps to the top of the church tower.
Year 13 students, who will be leaving Kings to go on to work or university in September, ascended the tower in small groups. Once at the top they sang a verse of a hymn, then enjoyed a medley of different music, whilst they took photos, looked out over Cheddar and waved at the year 9s in the garden below. The Year 13s and the brass band were rewarded for their tower climbing exertion, as “sticky buns” were saved for them as well.
Revd Ruth Motion Chaplain to the school, said, 'After two years of celebrating this tradition at ground level and without any students because of Covid, it was fantastic to be able to be able to do it once again.'