'The end of an era': Lorry ban forces school's float out of city procession
The Angel Road Junior School steel band practicing ahead of the Lord Mayor's Procession in 2015. The school is unsure whether it will be able to take part in this year's procession - for the first time since 2002 - due to a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles. Picture: Sonya Duncan
A school's 17-year tradition of bringing musical entertainment to the Lord Mayor's Procession in Norwich could come to an end this year due to a new ban on lorry floats.
The Angel Road Junior School steel band practicing ahead of a previous Lord Mayor's Procession. Picture: Sonya Duncan
Angel Road Junior School has participated in the centrepiece parade since 2002, with its steel band encouraging plenty of dancing in the streets.
But a ban on petrol and diesel powered lorries in the procession on Saturday, July 6 means the school won't be able to use the 40ft curtain-sided lorry it has previously borrowed for the occasion - the only vehicle big enough to hold its vast steel pan collection and drum kit.
Sue Graham, music coordinator at the Angel Road schools, said it could spell the end of a tradition for the steel bands from years four, five and six - around 25 children - to play in the procession.
The Lord Mayor's Procession 2018 . Picture: Sonya Duncan
"This is the zenith of their steel band playing career and they look forward to it for years," she said.
"It is an amazing experience for the children to have so I am absolutely gutted that we cannot do that."We all support the effort to reverse climate change and we are teaching about that in school, but I don't know how else we could do the procession. There is no way we can get the instruments and kids down there on another vehicle.
"It is the end of an era. We are all sad - the children, the staff, the parents."
Ms Graham said it was a whole school effort to get the float ready for the procession each year and the same family had supplied and driven the lorry for 15 years - with the current driver renewing his HGV licence especially to drive for the school in the 2018 procession.
By Bethany Widemark
Eastern Daily Press.
