Brentford School Features at Glastonbury

Schoolchildren to decorate backstage area at Glastonbury

Pupils at Brentford School for Girls will have their artwork seen by some of the world's biggest music stars backstage at Glastonbury this week (21-25 June). It is one of just 20 schools across the country chosen by Oxfam to take part in an art project to show support for refugee families.

The young artists have spent weeks decorating a giant panel the size of a bus shelter before it was packed off to Worthy Farm in Somerset. Their panel will be displayed in the VIP area where headliners such as Ed Sheeran, Radiohead and Foo Fighters move between the festival’s main stages.

Ms Leenders, Headteacher of Brentford School for Girls, said: "The girls and staff at Brentford are delighted that they have been involved in such a prestigious event for such a fantastic charity, Oxfam. It is so important that young people in today's world are active citizens and continue to try and make a difference for those less privileged than live in the west. This project has really raised awareness amongst of our girls”.

The art project is being organised by Oxfam as part of its Stand As One campaign to support some of the 65 million people – half of them children – forced from their homes due to conflict and persecution. Oxfam is calling on the Government to make it easier for refugee families to overcome separation and reunite in the UK.

Schoolchildren were asked to use their imagination to draw on the theme of separated families in their artwork. They were free to use paints or to decorate the panel with items sewn onto the fabric. All 20 panels were displayed at Oxfam's headquarters in Oxford before being transported to Glastonbury Festival.

Whitney Lubega, 17, a pupil at Brentford School For Girls, said: "We used methods including stencil to create the main logo for the banner. The testimonies from students involved with the Future Youth Schools Forum were added to give personal weight and raise awareness of this issue.”

Josephine Liebl, Oxfam's policy advisor on refugees, said: "These young artists are helping to deliver an important message to some of the world's most famous rock stars. We are facing the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War and families are often torn apart in the upheaval. Our Government can do much more to ensure that refugees have the best chances of reuniting with their loved ones in the UK."

For more information please contact Liz Gers (Community Co-Ordinator) at lgers@brentford.hounslow.sch.uk

June 19, 2017