Royal seal of approval for Shropshire pupils
Four pupils from Moreton Hall have received the royal seal of approval for their efforts.
The Prince of Wales presented them with special certificates marking their achievements in qualifying for this year’s national final of the Prayer Book Society’s 30th annual Cranmer Awards Competition at Lambeth Palace in London.
They are Isabella Harpin, 13, Aghoghomena Akpoteni, 14, Zoe Tse, 15 and Florence Tyne, 16.
Prince Charles, who is patron of the society which “encourages rediscovery and use of the majesty and spiritual depth of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP)”, handed prizes to six winners and certificates to 22 other finalists aged between 10 and 18.
They had competed with hundreds of entrants taking part in regional heats across the country in which they were required to select, learn and speak from memory prayers and readings from the BCP in front of an audience which included parents, teachers and members of the Prayer Book Society (PBS).
Prince Charles told them: “It is a crucial part of our heritage and this is, I think, the particular point; we mind about our churches, our cathedrals our buildings but also our language is important.
“When you think how much importance, fortunately, is paid to Shakespeare, the Prayer Book Society still works so hard to spread the word about the Prayer Book and its value.
“And as I’m sure many of you understand, as I do, as you get older, the words in the Prayer Book mean more and more and more.”
