Our 2019 St Martin's Day Celebration took place after school on Friday 15th November. We had a fantastic turnout of pupils and parents from Reception through to Year 2, plus some older siblings who still enjoy taking part. We made more than £650 for the school!

St Martin’s Day (Martinstag) is a German tradition, celebrating the feast of St Martin on 11th November. On that day, children walk through their home town carrying homemade lanterns, singing songs about Sankt Martin and enjoying sweets and buns or bread figures especially baked for this occasion. In some regions roast goose is traditionally enjoyed for dinner.

Our event began with delicious food, drink and music in the Primary School Precinct from 3.15 pm. When it was dark enough (around 4.45 pm) the procession set off, with the children carrying the lanterns which they had made in class. The procession was led by children singing Laternenfest songs in German plus St Martin (in fact two St Martins) on horseback. At the field we enjoyed listening to the story of St Martin, performed by some Year 2 children.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped out with this event: baking Weckmann both at home and in school, constructing lanterns, creating and selling tokens and tealights, getting set-up on the day, selling food and drink, acting as marshals and first aiders, singing and playing guitar, assisting during the performance and clearing up afterwards. A special thank you to the two ponies (and their owners!) and congratulations to all of the children who took part in the performance. And a big well done and thank you to Bernadette and to Frau Havenstein for making the whole event happen!