STUDENTS from Chepstow Comprehensive School took part in a week-long celebration of equality last week, culminating in a whole-school ’Respect March’ on Friday 8th July.

The week coincided with transition week, in which Year 6 primary pupils and Year 11 students attend the school, to ease the transition into Year 7 and 6th Form respectively.

The theme for the week was ‘Stand By Me’, a celebration of unity and LGBT rights to echo the Pride celebrations and marches performed around the UK.

Wrist bands with the ‘Stand By Me’ theme inscribed on them were given to the Year 6 pupils, students made pledge hearts, equality banners and wrote down messages of respect.

Melanie Thomas, Head of 6th Form and organiser of the march said: “During the week, the LGBT+ group set up a stall, selling t-shirts and rainbow laces to raise money for LGBT fiction for our library, as well as handing out leaflets of information regarding LGBT rights. 

“They sold rainbow fruit kebabs and oversaw an ‘LGBT ally’ photo-booth. 

“The event culminated in a concert delivered by the new Year 7s on the theme of respect and a whole school ‘Respect March’, which saw approximately 1,000 pupils plus staff march for a mile, led by the LGBT+ group and our new Year 7s, displaying their banners for equality. 

“A choir sang ‘Stand By Me’ at the end, and 1,000 pupils lay down their pledges, a fantastic visual to represent our loving and accepting school community. 

“We worked with a social media adviser to design a Snapchat filter for the school, which could be screened by staff, and to which equality messages could be posted and distributed. 

“We also used Twitter widely throughout the week to promote our message of embracing diversity and valuing equality.”