Some 300 pupils from Rawdon St Peter’s Church of England Primary School in the Leeds area celebrated St Peter’s Day by hosting a massive school picnic before a ‘clipping the church’ ceremony, a tradition dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.
On Monday, June 29, pupils from the school gathered for an open-air picnic on the Rawdon Billing, the hill in the area.
The picnic was freshly prepared by the school’s in-house catering team, giving the pupils an opportunity to share food, play, and build friendships.
Following the picnic, the children walked down to the church of St Peter’s Rawdon for the historic ‘clipping’ ceremony.
Dating back centuries, ‘clipping’ (derived from the Old English word for ‘embracing’) involves participants joining hands to encircle the church building as a symbol of love, unity, and protection.
The children successfully held hands in a ring around the entire building, while Lynette Clapham, headteacher of the school, rang the church bell.
Lynette said: "We are incredibly fortunate that our school is surrounded by such beautiful natural spaces.
“Seeing all 300 children sharing a picnic together before taking part in this special tradition was a wonderful reminder of what makes our school community so special.
“Events like this strengthen the connections between our church, our school, and our community, while creating experiences that our pupils will remember for years to come.”
Before the ceremony, pupils gathered inside the church to learn about the life of St Peter in a service led by the Revd Rachel Ford, vicar at the church.
Revd Rachel said: "From the church we could see the children making their way down the Billing towards us, and it was a truly special sight.
“Sharing food, time, and traditions together reflects the strong sense of community we have here.
“This celebration was an opportunity to bless our church, our school, and the wider community that supports us."