A Night At The Ivy — Never Such Innocence

Never Such Innocence held a special night at The Ivy in London on the 16th February 2015. The event aimed to raise awareness about Never Such Innocence’s educational initiatives, as we approached the close of our pilot poetry and art competition for schoolchildren.

The evening was a great success and was topped off by the readings of some of our first poetry competition entries by members of the Combat Veteran Players. This included Androcles Scicluna from the Data Telegraphist with the Royal Corp of Signals, Andy McCabe from the Royal Navy and Shaun Johnson from The Royal Artillery.

The CVP is exclusively comprised of ex-Service personnel, performing professional theatre whilst overcoming trauma and related difficulties from being in the forces. Since conception in 2012, the CVP have built a repertoire of Shakespeare plays including ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Hamlet’ and have performed at a number of well-established venues throughout the UK.

The poems read included:

Live or Die? By Harry Richards, Kingswode Hoe School - Year 7-9 category
What Happens Next? By Sean Thackwray, Kingswode Hoe School - Year 10-11 category
The Fallen Ones by Harrison English, Oakwood Park Grammar School - Year 10-11 category
The Body of War by Max Park, Alleyn's School - Year 7-9 category
Suppressing Stalemate by Edwin Scott, Wymondham College - Year 10-11 category
The future is bleak by Beth Probert, Rushcliffe School - Year 7-9 category
The love of a mother by Melissa Kastrati, Eglinton Primary School
Why? By Rhema Jolade Aiyegbusi, Eglinton Primary School

The readings received an excellent reception from our distinguished guests including the Belgian Ambassador to the UK His Excellency Guy Trouveroy, actress Angela Rippon and model David Gandy.

Lady Lucy French and Edward Wild, Chairs of Never Such Innocence, were also in attendance and were incredibly impressed by the calibre of the poetry and art from the schoolchildren.

The night was generously supported by CH2M and was a joint venture with Style for Soldiers - a charitable incentive set up to give gifts to young servicemen and women injured in conflict.

All images above are © Richard Young.

Never Such Innocence

Never Such Innocence is a registered charity (number 1156148) in England and Wales and is a unique project fitting into the wider series of 2014-2018 centenary activities. Our aim is to ensure young people nationally are inspired, informed and included in the centenary activities.

The charity takes its name from Philip Larkin’s famous poem MCMXIV, which reflects on the changes caused by the First World War. The driving force behind Never Such Innocence is Lady Lucy French, great-granddaughter of Field Marshal Sir John French who commanded the British Expeditionary Forces from 1914-15.

The launch of Never Such Innocence was kindly hosted at Australia House in May 2014 with a gala dinner and theatrical performance, blending poetry, prose and music from the Great War, compiled by Dr Martin Stephen. Since our inception we have been dedicated to engaging the nation’s children in the First World War centenary through learning, poetry, art and music.

T: 0207 836 2603
11 Slingsby Place, London,
WC2E 9AB

Never Such Innocence.
Registered Charity Number 1156148 Company Number 8680319

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