ON Remembrance Sunday, November 10, parishioners are invited to attend a Remembrance Service in St Mary's Church at 6.30pm during which the names recorded on the War Memorial will be read out and a wreath laid in their memory. The church choir will sing an anthem and the Order of Service will be that approved by the Church of England for this occasion. On Monday, November 11, at 10.55am, a short act of remembrance will take place at the war memorial in the churchyard and all parishioners are invited to attend.

Also on Monday the Governors of Longdon St Mary's School will be meeting with Mrs Sheila Sage, Primary School Advisor to consider the implications of a future OFSTED inspection.

On Tuesday, November 12, Longdon Parochial Church Council meets in Longdon Vicarage at 7.30pm.

On Wednesday, November 6, 'Offcuts', a professional theatre company visited Longdon St Mary's School to perform Grandpa's Gift, as part of the children's learning in creative arts. This very exciting event will inspire much of the children's work in the second half of the autumn term.

Two other developments at Longdon St Mary's School may be of interest to readers. The school library continues to expand, with children encouraged to borrow books from both its fiction and non-fiction sections. A rolling programme of short library talks is planned and help from Mrs Anne Houghton, teaching assistance, is available to children wishing to use the library. It is an invaluable tool both for their schoolwork and also for extra-curricular interests. By becoming familiar with the working of a small library children are well prepared for their move to secondary school and the availability of much larger resources.

The County Instrumental Music Service, which already offers tuition in recorder, violin, flute and clarinet to pupils at the school now has a few additional places available. In addition tuition in viola will be offered and, following a visit by a qualified brass teacher, it may be possible to provide tuition in brass instruments in the future.

Alex Thompson, from Old Vicarage Cottage and a member of both the Cathedral Voluntary Choir and St Mary's Church Choir, made it to the last 15 in the Chorister of the Year competition. He has also recently undertaken the RSCM St Nicholas Award (under the direction of the choirmaster at Worcester Cathedral) which is the highest award a chorister can take. He passed with an exceptionally high mark, the highest mark ever achieved by an entrant from Worcester Cathedral. Alex is to be congratulated for his success.