Notts pupils quiz Archbishop of York on Zimbabwe

Pupils from Nottingham Emmanuel School posed some searching questions to the Archbishop of York yesterday (Thursday, 3rd April), when he visited three Church of England schools celebrating new building projects.

The Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, joined children and staff in creating an atmospheric drum beat procession, as he entered Nottingham Emmanuel School, through its new building – still under construction. The Archbishop was handed two metal brackets to use as symbols, while other children picked up the beat with odd items from the building site, including scaffold poles and cable drums.

Sixth form pupils then joined in a question and answer session with Archbishop Sentamu and they were particularly interested in his reason for cutting up his dog collar a few months ago, in protest to what was happening in Zimbabwe. Asked what action the UK should take if President Robert Mugabe holds onto power, he said: “It is what the international community will do...our government should take a lead at the United Nations and that is where they should go.” The Archbishop also said he hoped Robert Mugabe would go and go quickly and peace would return to the country, which was literally being starved.

A school gospel choir also greeted the Archbishop at his next school visit to Nottingham Bluecoat School, where he unveiled a plaque for the school’s new building. He then went on to the Minster School in Southwell, where he had lunch in the £34m new building and dedicated the school chapel.

Speaking to pupils from all three schools at a joint celebration in Southwell Minster in the afternoon he said: “People think schools should be like supermarkets to choose what is your particular fancy, but students are not consumers and society is not a shopping arcade. Education is the activity of the whole community and is about leading out and finding a way out – leading to justice and peace. The students of today are already shaping the future.”

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