Children at Sugar Hill Primary School have been learning all about the local heritage of Newton Aycliffe and they have recently hosted a traditional tea-dance where a special guest was unveiled. Parents, grandparents and members of the community were invited into the school hall to see the children dance to songs from the war, as well as a choir singing a wonderful version of ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary.’ A variety of work was displayed from the Nursery children all the way through to the Year 6 children, which included diary entries from evacuees, war poems and newspaper reports on the lost animals in the war. They thoroughly enjoyed learning about the bravery of our local heroes, ‘The Aycliffe Angels’ who worked in very dangerous conditions during WWII to make the munitions at ROF factories within Newton Aycliffe. A reflection of the children’s inspiration could been seen through their artwork where they have designed and made clay models of an angel
However, the main excitement of the afternoon was when their very own Angel of Newton Aycliffe was revealed. To commemorate the work of The Aycliffe Angels, pupils and staff at Sugar Hill wanted an angel for their school garden to remember the history of the town and how the town first began. Richard Hindmarch, owner of AF Engineering & Design Services from Newton Aycliffe Business Park kindly offered to make a steel angel that would sit in the school garden for years to come. Richard gave up lots of his time to work alongside the staff and children to help with the design. Josh Veitch, a pupil at the school, was delighted when his design was chosen to be made. Richard was able to develop Josh’s design to incorporate bombs for the head and body, and artillery shells for the wings. The angel will be concreted into the school garden, surrounded by stone poppies that every child within the school has painted.
Richard was delighted to be involved, he quoted “When Mrs Forster approached me as a friend to help with this project, I found it a great privilege to be involved. Sugar Hill was the first school established in Newton Aycliffe and I currently run my engineering business from an existing ROF building. Both my grandparent were Aycliffe Angels and I know first-hand how cold and grim the buildings are! I am proud to have helped such a lovely school and also commemorate the ladies of Newton Aycliffe and the surrounding areas contribution to the war effort. The Aycliffe Angel will stand in their memory for many years to come.”
The staff and children at Sugar Hill want to thank Richard and his wife Dawn, for their generosity and kindness in donating the angel to the school and for all his work and support during this project.
