Archbishop visits Charles Edward Brooke Girls' School
Friday 10th June 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, visited Charles Edward Brooke Girls' School in Camberwell, London, on Friday morning.Charles Edward Brooke Girl’s School is a Church of England comprehensive housed in two sites, one for the lower school and one for the upper. The Archbishop was welcomed in the chapel of the Upper School, and spent time talking with groups of pupils from Charles Edward Brooke and neighbouring primary schools.
Students, teachers and other members of the school community then walked to the Lower School site. The procession delighted local passers-by as it moved through the streets, led as it was by the school's brass band, with the Archbishop in his mitre at the rear, and everybody singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" at full force.
During the worship service which followed, Head Teacher Wendy Cooper spoke of her plans for developing the school's facilities and buildings, and for the expansion of the school with the admission of boys in future years.
The Archbishop also spoke on the theme of change. He described the scene at Pentecost which allowed strangers to become friends, and related this to the new challenges facing the school. Dr Williams said his prayer was that "people will see that something really important is going on here. That here there are lives being lead that have joy and faithfulness and love and generosity - lives of the kind that Jesus inspires."
The visit finished with a conversation between the Archbishop and students from Year 10 who took the opportunity to ask thoughtful and searching questions.
