Belmont Grosvenor Pupil Flies the Flag for her School
10th June 2008
The flag is flying at a leading North Yorkshire independent preparatory school - thanks to the hard work of one of its pupils.
Ten-year old Alex Duxbury decided to make a flag for her school - Belmont Grosvenor - after discovering that the old one was no longer in existence.
The youngster, with the help of her mum Judi, spent hours designing and creating a new flag for the school as part of a project for the Belmont Grosvenor Award.
Her finished flag so impressed staff at the school, which celebrates its centenary this year, that it is now flying on the flagpole high above the school's grounds at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, near Harrogate.
Year 6 pupils at Belmont Grosvenor School are invited to complete an Award each year - similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award - designed to develop independence, life skills, teamwork and responsibility through exciting challenges.
The Award encourages pupils to develop skills or learn new ones and provides a valuable preparation for the transition to Secondary School. Alex's idea was to take up sewing - and when she discovered there was no Belmont Grosvenor School flag, she set to work.
Belmont Grosvenor School was formed in 2001 when two Harrogate-based schools, Grosvenor House and Belmont Birklands, merged. No new flag had ever been made for Belmont Grosvenor School - the previous Grosvenor House one had long since disappeared.
With the help of records from Belmont Birklands and Grosvenor House, Alex unearthed the original school shields, and added the Belmont Grosvenor School shield to her design.
Along with the original school Latin motto - Interest Onmium Recte Facacere (It Is In The Interest Of All To Do Right) - the new flag was created.
Alex, who lives in Bishop Thornton, sewed the cotton fabric flag, cut out the felt letters and shields, and glued and stitched everything into place - with some help from her mum.
Said Alex: "The BGS Award has been very enjoyable. It has given me the chance to learn some new skills which will prepare me for the future.
"It has also given me the opportunity to research the history of this wonderful school, which has been such a great part of my life. Especially during this the centenary year," she said.
Belmont Grosvenor Year 1 teacher and BGS Award Co-ordinator Anne Harrison said: "I am delighted with the flag Alex has made for the school for our centenary year, it's a true work of art.
"She has developed her skills through the BGS Award to provide something of value and enjoyment for us all."
