SCHOOL NEWS // CLARE BALDING VISIT
PUPILS WELCOME CLARE BALDING
Broadcaster Clare Balding visited Pocklington School and spoke to pupils about celebrated former pupil William Wilberforce as part of her BBC Radio 4 Ramblings series .
Ms Balding asked Head Girl Hebe Quinney and Head Boy Mikey Smith about Wilberforce , a prominent leader of the movement to abolish slavery . They showed her the Wilberforce Statue in the school grounds , along with a mosaic and slave sculpture marking his achievements .
The broadcaster visited with Dr Rev Inderjit Bhogal OBE , a leading theologian and Methodist Minister who created the Wilberforce Way , a 60-mile walk between Hull and York commemorating the bicentenary of the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in 1807 .
Dr Bhogal is the founder and president of the City of Sanctuary movement which works with community groups across the UK to build a culture of welcome and hospitality , particularly towards asylum seekers and refugees . Dr Bhogal ’ s work with interfaith relations was recognised by an OBE in 2005 .
Before setting off , they also met students from the school ’ s equestrian team and staff from its rambling group , The Worthwhile Wanderers . They recorded students talking about William Wilberforce and Ms Balding signed autographs and obligingly posed for selfies .
Deputy Head Clare Bracken said : “ We are extremely proud of all that Old Pocklingtonian William Wilberforce achieved and our pupils were thrilled to welcome Clare and Inderjit to the school to talk about him .
“ Wilberforce is a leading example of the school values of Courage , Truth and Trust which drive all that we do at Pocklington and mean that our students leave with a strong sense of personal and social responsibility , along with the ability to shape their own future .”
The Ramblings show were shown on Radio 4 on 27th February .
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