Manchester Arena attack: College holds commemorative event one year on

Music and performing arts students performed their own renditions of Don’t Look Back in Anger, One Last Time, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Where is the Love as part of an afternoon of live music.

Catering students also played their part by baking bee cupcakes for the gathering, and hairdressing and beauty students provided bee face painting and temporary tattoos.

Staff and students helped raise £500 for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund as a result of their event on Tuesday, May 22.

Key event organiser Tracey Hall, who is a Bury College student services mentor, said: "I can’t describe how happy I am to see how well this has all come together and to see the sense of community spirit and pride. The whole college community has come forward to create something amazing."

The college's student action group united to recite the ‘This is the Place’ poem which was also printed and displayed in social spaces in the college.

Student governor Natan Chromik, who was one of the students to recite the poem, said: “I think it is brilliant to see the college integrated as one and for us to stand together and show solidarity. The way we have all come together has been amazing."

During the run-up to the event bee badges were also sold to staff and students.

On the day, students on the college's 'Learning for Work' programme created 22 pebble bees which were hidden by staff and found by learners.

Elsewhere on campus, four remembrance trees were made by joinery students and painted by 'Foundation Studies' learners.

Counselling teams were also on hand to provide support, and self-help and coping strategies.

Bury College Music Facilitator Sonny Shoker said: "I am really happy with the outcome of the event and that the college has shown a lot of unity.

"It has been great to see the students getting involved and those who took part showed a great deal of professionalism and passion and really worked hard to make it such a special event."