An incredibly touching Remembrance Day service, dedicated to a former student, took place at South Downs Campus on 11 November.
Royal Marine Richard Hollington, who was a Public Services student at South Downs, was the 300th British soldier to die during the conflict in Afghanistan. He gave his life for his country in 2010.
The 2024 Ceremony was the 13th to take place at the College in Richard’s memory, and was attended by hundreds of students and members of staff. These students and staff gathered to watch as South Downs’ Uniformed Services and Combined Cadet Force students performed a guard of honour.
Wreaths were presented by the students to HSDC Principal and CEO Mike Gaston, and Claire Kerley, who then laid them at a tree planted in Richard’s memory.
At 11am, the College joined other services all over the world for two minutes of silence, reflection, and remembrance. The sky was clear, with the sun acting as a beautiful yet sombre presence at the ceremony. Pupils from Morelands Primary School were also in attendance to place crosses at the memorial tree along with students from the Public Services department.
Following the two-minutes silence, Sam Game, Head of Faculty for Public Services at South Downs, presented the Richard Hollington Award to student Josh Wiles for his excellent teamwork. The award is given out at every Remembrance Day ceremony, with Sam saying:
“Josh embodies everything that the Richard Hollington Award celebrates. He has demonstrated an extraordinary depth of humility, understanding and collaboration among his peers.”
A reading of Flanders Fields was delivered by Helen Hill during the ceremony. Helen was Richard’s tutor during his time at South Downs, and still looks back fondly on his college years:
“Richard was an absolute team player. He was the sort of person that everyone gravitated towards. He was incredibly respectful of staff and always had a twinkle in his eye. Seeing hundreds of students come to pay their respects during the two-minute silence was incredibly moving.”
Remembrance Day is always a poignant moment for the College and wider community, as we all come together to remember a very special young man, and all those who have given their lives in service of their country.
We Will Remember Them.