Flood heroes

Friday 20 July 2007 was meant to be a momentous day for Thornton House School.

After 40 years, we were to close our doors for the last time due to the re-organisation of special education in Worcester. 

However, as we prepared for the final assembly, we received a call from the Local Authority warning that the weather had deteriorated, and that children should be released early if that could be done safely. 

As all our children have special needs, it is obviously not appropriate to just wave them off unaccompanied. 

We have children aged from three to 11 years from all parts of Worcester, Droitwich, Malvern, Pershore, Upton, Bredon, Welland etc., and 99% use school transport (specially equipped/escorted coaches, minibuses and taxis.)

Although many families had joined us for the our final assembly that afternoon, the majority of children were still relying on school transport to get them home, and we were dependent of these vehicles getting to school. 

Indeed, at that point some of our nursery children, who only attend for afternoon sessions, had still not arrived. 

We decided to say a very hasty farewell to all those who had come to say goodbye. 

It was a very emotional afternoon - children, family, friends, and staff all dabbing their eyes.  

Finally, the last vehicle arrived with the nursery children from the Evesham/Pershore/South Littleton area; it was a quick loo stop, then back in the vehicle. 

Parents who had come for the final assembly left with their children and - as quickly as coaches etc arrived - the other children were loaded on and set off. 

It was fairly chaotic, but eventually the staff managed to get all the children away. 

No way home

But no sooner had we started to gather ourselves together and tidy up, than one of the coaches returned with the driver having been unable to get through St Johns to Malvern. 

The children, driver and their two escorts were taken into the school, as staff tried to assess the situation. 

Families were contacted to tell them that their children were safe; the children were settled and drinks and biscuits found, then a meal. 

Later (around 7.30pm) another vehicle returned - it was the same one which had been very late arriving from Evesham/Pershore (they'd been on the vehicle since about 12.30pm except for the quick loo stop). 

By now, those school staff who could and who needed/wanted to, had made their way home. 

However, a large number stayed on at school with the children; these included the newly retired Hugh Thomas and Angela Cook (along with her husband, Paul, who had come in from their home in Kidderminster to share the occasion!). 

Then to cap it all, the power went off! 

Back to help

A number of the staff who had managed to get home, returned with supplies for those left behind at school. 

Staff calmed the children, organised food and drinks for all, found candles/torches (then the power came back on!), sorted out the hastily delivered towels, blankets, sleeping bags and pillows (thanks, too, to the Social Services staff who turned up with supplies), set up videos, kept frantic families updated, and were generally heroes one and all. 

At about 9.30pm the school received a call from the Police, alerting them to the fact that one child had not been delivered back to his home in South Littleton, and the vehicle he had been in could not be located. 

Eventually it was tracked down to Evesham, where the kind family of a pupil from another school, who travels on the same route, had taken in the child, escort and driver for the night! 

The staff at the Local Authority soldiered on too, trying to keep on top of the chaotic transport situation and eventually, on Saturday afternoon, the last of the children was finally taken home. 

Exhausted staff then tidied up and drifted away to their own homes and families (those that could, of course!)

For some it took longer than others. 

To all involved, especially Hugh and Angela, I would just like to say: "You were magnificent".