Pupils pack church to remember teacher (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Pupils pack church to remember teacher

THE sun shone down on St James' Church in Chipping Campden when family, friends and colleagues of David Atkin, deputy head at Prince Henry's High School, bid a final farewell to him at his funeral on Thursday.

The church was packed to the rafters with mourners including school pupils, past and present, from Prince Henry's High School and Chipping Campden School to pay their respects.

The hymn, The Lord of the Dance, opened the thanksgiving service followed by a number of special tributes, the first from his wife Julie, and then from other members of his family.

Friends and colleagues also paid tribute, all mentioning his love of football as a keen supporter of Leeds United.

Headteacher at Prince Henry's High School, Bernard Roberts, described him as an 'outstanding teacher'.

During the service, the hymns sung included Will Your Anchor Hold, Love Divine All Love's Excelling and When The Saints Go Marching In and two songs from one of David's favourite bands, REM, were also played out to the congregation.

David, who was 37, lived in Willersey with his wife and two daughters, Sophie, aged 4 and Rosie, aged one. He joined Prince Henry's as one of three deputy heads at the school in September 2003.

As a mark of respect, only pupils taking exams and a skeleton staff of teachers were at Prince Henry's High School on the day of the funeral.

Bernard Roberts, headteacher, said: "The school was partially closed, we couldn't close it completely because there were public exams that day and so the pupils had to take them and obviously there had to be some teachers there."

He added: "In terms of pupils attending, a representative from each year group was there."

After the service the congregation made its way to Cheltenham for the cremation.

David collapsed and died outside Leapfrog Day Nursery in Four Pools, Evesham when dropping off his daughter on Monday, May 8. Following a post mortem, the cause of death was confirmed as 'natural causes'.