18.5.20 COLLECTIVE WORSHIP BLOG

Date: 18th May 2020 @ 1:49pm

18.5.20 COLLECTIVE WORSHIP BLOG

SERVICE WEEK 4: Awards for Service – the OBE.

In this worship the children reflect on how our country recognises people who have made a special contribution to others through their work in the community.

Introduction

This week’s worship is all about the special awards given out by the Queen to mark the work that people have done to help others.

There is a special ceremony held at Buckingham Palace each year to do this. It was started by King George V over one hundred years ago in 1917. He created a special award called the Order of the British Empire (OBE). To this day the award is greatly valued by those who receive it. You can find out about who has received an award recently by visiting this website www.royal.gov.uk

Reflection (Discuss this together)

We know that we have many children in our school who are very interested in saving the environment and protecting wildlife. This story is about the life of one person who received an OBE for exactly those reasons. His name was Ian Redmond.

Ian always had an interest in animals. As a young boy he loved collecting tadpoles. He grew up not only to be a wildlife biologist but also a photographer, campaigner, fund-raiser and writer. He is known around the world for his commitment to protecting some of the most-threatened creatures.

When he was 52 years old, Ian Redmond was awarded the OBE for his services to conservation. He is particularly famous for his tireless commitment to helping endangered great apes.

He has led many TV documentary crews to view animals throughout the world and was involved in the legendary gorilla sequences in David Attenborough’s Life on Earth series.

There are many organisations that can be thankful for Ian’s expert advice. As chief consultant for the United Nation’s Great Ape Survival Project, Ian has helped secure the future for creatures in the most threatened environments by overseeing the signing of a declaration by more than 20 nations.

An example of his commitment to this cause was when he ran the London marathon carrying a gorilla placard with ‘Save the Apes’ written on it!

Ian said he was honoured and ‘very chuffed’ to have received the award.

Prayer

Dear God

Thank you for all the people who serve us in our community.

Give us opportunities to show our appreciation so they know that their work is really valued by us.

Amen

Taking It Further

EYFS & Key Stage 1

• The children could design or make an award for someone that they feeling is really helping our community right now – such as a NHS worker.

Key Stage 2

• Write a nomination for someone that you think should receive an award from the Queen. Explain why you believe this.

I hope you enjoy sharing this act of worship and the ideas in it within your family group this week.

Mr M. Foster,

Headteacher.