Eastbourne College celebrates 75 years of the CCF

This week, Eastbourne College celebrated 75 years of the CCF at St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the RAF, the RAF’s family church.

College musicians and the school’s RAF Section paraded and presented the CCF standard to the chaplain-in-chief of the RAF the Venerable Dr (Air Vice-Marshal) Giles Legood MBE KHC who also gave the sermon on the theme of non ministrari sed ministrare (not to be served but to serve).

It was a real Eastbourne College occasion: OE Group Captain Lionel Rees VC OBE MC AFC (Blackwater 1898–1901) is on the board commemorating recipients of the Victoria Cross in the RFC; the current resident chaplain the Revd Mark Perry who took the service is husband of College chemistry teacher Hannah whose son is a current pupil and RAF CCF cadet, and daughter an OE; and the development director is Jules Sherwood (Blackwater 1977–82). Mark and Jules welcomed to the church Old Eastbournians, friends and parents who had navigated the rail strike, and the College’s RAF Section who had travelled by coach, and they also provided some historical context. Some were able to visit the crypt.

Choral Evensong was a joint event with the choir and the director of music of St Clement Danes. It began with a violin solo by music scholar Alice Younger (Watt House). Eastbourne College director of music Dan Jordan, 40 College singers, a quartet of visiting singers, and four College trumpeters provided the rest of the music for an uplifting and inspiring service.

A job superbly well done.