Archbishop of Canterbury visits St Micheal's

On Sunday 11^th June, St Michael’s Church of England Primary School had a very special visit from Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Last seen at The Coronation, the Archbishop visited the school as part of a wider visit to the Diocese of Salisbury, where he met community volunteers, students and young people. It is the first time the Archbishop has visited the Diocese since his enthronement in March 2013.

St Michael’s, hosted the Archbishop for celebration lunch where he met local volunteers and community hub users. All in attendance had the opportunity to mingle and chat informally with Justin, with the children taking the opportunity to ask questions about his faith. A range of activities had also been organised for the children, set up by Hannah Tarring and the school’s STAR club. The STAR club is a weekly club run by volunteers and members of the Avon River Team for children and parents to drop in for tea and toast and the opportunity to get involved in a range of arty activities.

Nicky Phillips, Headteacher, said: “It was lovely to see the school hall was filled with families and churchgoers, many who were visiting the school for the first time. This event brought together many generations from our community and reinforced the sense that the school is intended to be, and is, a beating heart of that community. It was an honour to host such an interesting and inspirational guest!”

The children also had the opportunity to shine as they sang some of the hymns which they know from their weekly collective worship. The performance, which is sure to stay with the children for the rest of their lives, was enjoyed by all with many visitors joining in.

The Archbishop commented that it was “wonderful to share the transformative power of God today with those at St Michael’s school”.