Berkshire: Primary school Romero gallery praised by Queen and Pope

centre of Romero panel

A bright-coloured Spirit of Oscar Romero Gallery made last year for St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School in Bracknel, Berkshire,l has attracted high level applause and resulted in a similar one being requested for the hall at St Joseph’s Church in the town centre.

Put up last July, the Gallery is a wooden panel 2500mm wide, painted in acrylics by CAFOD Portsmouth Education Volunteer Hugh Gibbons – and meant as a permanent teaching resource as well as an unusual home-grown visual treasure.

Hugh says other schools and parishes anywhere might like to consider making one for themselves “in the spirit of Romero - as something he would probably applaud”.

The Gallery’s centrepiece is one of the 30cm Romero Memorial Crosses made for CAFOD by family artists in El Salvador. Two of the ten accompanying big figures are St Margaret and Romero. As “voice of the voiceless”, he is depicted holding a loud hailer and a CAFOD postcard with his famous saying “Aspire Not to Have More But to Be More” as a message on for all every school day.

Each Year nominated the other big figures. Reception asked for the Virgin Mary, and Hugh gave her an empty pushchair. Year1 wanted Florence Nightingale; and Year2, The Good Samaritan. He is shown high-fiving with The Queen, who was “…very touched to learn that the children of Year Three chose Her Majesty to be one of the figures to be included in this special piece.”

Year4 requested Isaac Newton, generating an inspiring letter from the present President of the Royal Society. Year5 wanted David Beckham - shown holding the hand of the symbol for UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools initiative. The UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, was “thrilled to learn” that Year6 opted for Malala Yousafzai, She holds a dove and a diary page for 12 July – the UN Day for the Right to Education (and her birthday).

Hugh added about 20 smaller figures, including Pope Francis (generating appreciation from the Vatican); Carmelite nuns and an artist in El Salvador; St Francis of Assisi with giraffe, bee and butterfly; a parish priest’s dog (bemusing corgis); Lynda Mussell and Laura Bigoni at CAFOD Portsmouth; and teaching staff at the school. A group called The Voiceless Family represents the needy of the world. Spitfire AB910 is there to reinforce Keep Calm and Carry On. And the Fairtrade and Sing Up Award symbols echo the ethos of the school.

The Gallery for the parish hall will have big figures chosen by this year’s Confirmation Candidates – and all their 30+ faces will be included. Hugh says: “This may encourage them to come and show their families and friends in the decades ahead.”

Further information including a slideshow briefing is at www.spiritofromero.org/gallery.