A VALE school is putting together the finishing touches to a programme of celebrations as a landmark anniversary approaches.

Staff and pupils at Bredon Hill Middle School, in Ashton Under Hill, will launch an open day on Tuesday June 16 when former pupils will be invited to view displays of photographs and memorabilia collected since the school opened 50 years ago in October 1965.

Famous alumni include: Olympic gold medal rower Alex Gregory, former marine and TV presenter Arthur Williams, Kat Merchant, a member of England’s Women’s World Cup-winning rugby squad, and Mark Packwood, répétiteur at the Royal Opera House in London.

Visitors will see the present school in action and invitations have already gone out to former staff and governors to join their present-day colleagues to plant a Worcester back pear tree, as illustrated on the school badge, on Wednesday June 17.

A time capsule containing items selected by pupils to represent the school as it is today will be buried at the same time.

Will Cope a pupil in class 8C was the winner of a competition to devise a logo for use in publicising the 50th Anniversary events.

A 50th Anniversary blog has been set up at https://bhms50.wordpress.com for alumni to record their impressions and recollections of the school, while current pupils will be given special badges as a reminder of this important anniversary, and will be able to purchase their own ‘Bramble Bear’ as a souvenir of the event.

A celebration concert will take place on the Monday July 6 at 7pm at the school. This will be an evening of drama, poetry, music and dance and a new school song has been specially composed for the occasion. The month-long programme of events will draw to a close at a social gathering in the school grounds on Saturday July 11.

Further details of all of these events, at which former pupils, staff and governors will be very welcome, are available from the school.