A SCHOOLGIRL from Farnham, Rebecca Farnfield, took centre stage at the Passchendaele Centenary Exhibition in Belgium on Monday to read her competition-winning war poem ‘I Stand Alone’.
Rebecca, 11, read her poem at 9.20am and 4.30pm in the Passchendaele Memorial Park as part of the events to mark the 100th anniversary of the infamous battle, in front of distinguished guests including the Belgium Royal family, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
It came after she won an international children’s poetry competition run by arts charity Never Such Innocence, bagging the top prize of £400 for her entry which was described as “deeply moving” by competition organisers.
Speaking ahead of the event, Rebecca said: “I was over the moon when I found out that I had been asked to go to Belgium. I can’t believe that I have been given such an incredible opportunity to read my poem in front of thousands of people at such an important event.”
Rebecca walking through Tyne Cot in the afternoon after the official ceremony