Students and staff at Highbridge’s King Alfred School are urging local residents to vote for their famous namesake to be crowned as the theme for the new annual ‘Somerset Day’.
The 1,300-pupil school in Highbridge was given its name at an official opening in 1958 after being built on a site once owned by King Alfred of Wessex.
Currently Somerset’s 900,000 residents are voting in the ‘Passion for Somerset’ event for three historic dates to become ‘Somerset Day’ – 11th May when King Alfred ‘gathered’ all the people of Somerset, 6th July remembering the Battle of Sedgemoor, or 19th May which commemorates the birth of England’s most popular saint, St Dunstan.
Students and staff at King Alfred School have firmly made their minds up and are voting for Alfred The Great to be celebrated annually by the whole county.
King Alfred’s Head of History Martyn Ellis said: “King Alfred is without doubt the best choice for the new annual Somerset Day. He was not just a tremendous King and the only one to be given the title of ‘Great’, but he also famously gathered all the people of Somerset.”
“We are very proud of our links with Alfred The Great. Our school is built on the very land that he once owned. We would urge others to help keep this incredible bit of history of a great man alive.”
‘Passion for Somerset’ was created by Somerset businesses to represent the county’s 900,000 residents who live in an area from Bath in the East, to Minehead in the West, Yeovil in the South and Portishead in the North. Vote by clicking here until Friday 16th January.
