Humberston school community unite in ‘Big Sing’ event

This week, staff and students from Humberston Academy in N E Lincolnshire took part in Grimsby’s Big Sing event to unite their school community through the joy of music and celebrate Grimsby's local heritage.

The whole school gathered to perform the song ‘Mr Grimsby’, created especially for the event, as an inclusive cultural experience. The song was written using lyrics from a recent poetry competition. Singing together allowed students, teachers and support staff to explore the Grimsby area's connection to Sir Edward Watkin, also known as Mr Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The song was composed by Dr Willis, Musician of Residence and Mr Sleight, Director of Music, to encompass the pioneering work of ‘The Railway King’, Sir Edward Watkin.  

Richard Sleight, Director of Music and Faculty Lead for The Arts, said: "Here at Humberston, we're incredibly proud of our cultural offer. We believe every young person is a musician, and we want all students to have the opportunity to enrich their lives through experiences like our Big Sing.”

Principal Daniel Shoubridge said: "Today has been a resounding success for Team Humberston. Events such as our Big Sing provide our school community with the opportunity to develop their sense of belonging to our local community and learn about our heritage, allowing us to be proud of our roots and ensure our local history is never forgotten. 

“Having a knowledge and understanding of key figures who shaped our local community is vitally important to young people's personal development and therefore absolutely right to invest in."

Humberston Academy students worked closely with The Watkin Society, to find out more about the town's history. Pupils were fascinated to know that Grimsby once housed the largest fishing docks in the world because of the railway system.

Geoff Scargill, chairman of The Watkin Society said: “This was a terrific initiative by the Humberston Academy. We in the Watkin Society are delighted to have worked with the school to tell the story of a great man who turned Grimsby into the world’s premier fishing port and created out of nothing one of Britain’s most popular holiday resorts in Cleethorpes. The Big Sing was a great idea!” 

This was a memorable day for everyone taking part in the Big Sing. Humberston Academy is looking forward to showcasing the talents of its students and celebrating the town and community it serves, when the new term begins in September.