Junior 3’s Blythe Camilleri-Willis, Adreena Greevy, Ted Higginbotham, Evie Kettle, Elsie Woodall-Pagan, Beatrice Parizzi and Josie-Jean Swindells; Junior 4’s Sebastian Crawley, Jay Jonah, Julia Kozhan, Andrew Parizzi, Mairen Steel, Amelia Turvey, Beatrice Wood, Eve Wood and Elena; and Junior 5 Sebastian Williams, gathered together excitedly with friends, family and representatives from the Crackley Hall School community at St Francis of Assisi Church in Kenilworth.

The children have been preparing for this special day for a while, learning about their faith so that they understand what they are committing to. In May they took the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.

In the joyful and celebratory Eucharist, Father Kevin Hooper was supported by Father David Bazen. In the service Father Kevin spoke about the nourishing love of God that would sustain the young communicants throughout their lives before the communicants then received the sacrament with the utmost sincerity and reverence. The children were a credit to their families and the school. Following celebratory prayers, reflections and concluding hymns the recipients were presented with certificates and posed for proud parents and friends in front of the altar.

Special thanks were given to Mrs Jackson-Mayne and Mrs Simmonds for their support of the children and to Mrs Olden, Isabella Olden and Shoshana Stokes for providing the music and singing. The school was also delighted to welcome Chair of Trustees Mrs Griffin to the service.

After the Eucharist the children were presented with gifts, balloons and individual First Holy Communion cakes to mark the occasion. It was a very special day for all concerned.