THEY are very proud of the
stained-glass windows in their churches on the Isles of Scilly, at
the far end of Truro diocese. The windows have
recently been used as a teaching aid for the primary pupils at the
Five Islands School, in a project co-ordinated by Susanna Gates, a
teacher at the school.
The children have been
studying the history of the windows in their local church, and also
the stories that the windows depict, on the islands of St Mary's,
Tresco, St Agnes, and St Martin's. In particular, the children
reflected on the images that depict trust, compassion, forgiveness,
and loss, especially of those who put to sea to save the lives of
others.
In class, they thought about
the meaning behind the stories, and, with the artist Tony Minnion,
created screen-printed images of their own experiences that
reflected those themes. The images were then digitally compiled and
professionally printed on to a taffeta banner, close in size and
shape to each island's church window.
The project was supported by the Chaplain to the Isles of
Scilly, Canon Paul Miller, and funded by the diocese of Truro. The
banners will be on display at St Mary's, Tresco (Tresco window
pictured), throughout September, and then for a few days at
Truro Cathedral at the end of October, before finding permanent
homes in the individual churches on Scilly.
