Our Nativity promenade was a lovely end to this year with many moments to remember. We attracted a record crowd who braved wind and rain to join us, despite warnings that much of the acting would be outdoors! Many people brought young children and babies, which gave the whole evening a real family atmosphere.
We were obviously very disappointed that the severe weather prevented us from following some of our plans, but the crowd joining us on route to Bethlehem seemed very understanding about this and entered into the spirit of the night regardless of the gale force wind!
There were some magical moments. As we crowded into our dining hall by torchlight to witness the Angel Gabriel appear to Joseph, a circle of children sat entranced upon the floor as Holly Ashcroft and Luke Tyson convinced them that they really were Mary and Joseph setting off on a journey. Alex Hird was a superb Gabriel and very professional as she manoeuvred the huge crowds to ensure her entrances were on cue.
The indoor scenes in the hall were, as always, lovely with a mixture of humour and tradition. The choir were almost angelic as they sang a selection of carols to punctuate the ongoing Nativity story. The “travellers” were able to sit and reflect until we were suddenly informed that the baby had been born!
The final scene at the outdoor “stable” was absolutely magical and evoked a very special moment. Although very cold, windy and with very convincing snow, the crowd, especially the children were entranced as we witnessed the end of the story complete with shepherds, kings and an exceptionally cute donkey!
Overall we enjoyed a great night, with a genuine sense of community. We now hope to take the positive aspects and are determined to look at ways that we can create the route to Bethlehem whilst accommodating all aspects of unexpected weather and our growing, albeit appreciative, school community. Heartfelt thanks to those who journeyed with us and we hope to see you again in the summer when the weather may be a little kinder!