Barnsley College Remembers

To mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, students and staff will plant 100 trees to represent each year, with the first tree planted by Sheffield City Region Mayor and Barnsley Central MP, Dan Jarvis. This Armistice Day tree planting is part of a wider effort to create a Northern Forest across the industrial North of England.

Mayor Dan Jarvis said: “This period of remembrance has been an important moment for our country and it has been heartening to see people come together to commemorate those who lost their lives in the First World War a hundred years ago.

“I’m proud to be at Barnsley College, planting a tree which will hopefully stand for the next 100 years. I’m grateful for the College engaging in the commemorations and helping to ensure that we never forget those who have served our country.”

Samuel Bentley, 20, a Popular Music student at University Campus Barnsley and President of the Students’ Union, added: “Events like these are really important, they bring communities together. It provides a high level of satisfaction to be involved in a project that benefits everybody.”

Barnsley College staff and students also came together to fill each of the five floor balconies at the Old Mill Lane campus and pay a series of tributes to the fallen heroes in wars past and present. The College fell silent for two minutes after a reading of ‘For the Fallen’ and concluded the tribute with a poppy cascade.