EqualiTea at Buick Memorial

The event was to commemorate 100 years since women received the right to vote and 90 years since the Representation of the People Act which gave all men and women over 21 the equal right to vote. 

The school was invited to host the event by MP Ian Paisley. It was one of 2825 events supported by the UK Parliament’s Education and Engagement Service taking place throughout the UK. 

School Support Officer Tracey Woods said

I thoroughly enjoyed attending this event which brought the school community together to explore what equality means.

We were treated to an afternoon of entertainment which the school and pupils had put tremendous thought and effort into.

I was really impressed with the pupils’ debate, their arguments were well constructed and reasoned, which was fantastic to see. There may be some future politicians among them!

The afternoon’s hosts were primary seven pupils Olivia Dan and Kristen Kelly who outlined the history of the movement and introduced the performances which included a solo performance by pupil Sarah Adams of “Sister Suffragette” from the film Mary Poppins.

There was also a silent movie of the suffragette’s tactics starring the boys and girls of primary seven.

Pupils John Fenton and Sarah Adams performed the duet Daisy and there was a poetry reading from the school’s former caretaker and resident bard, Mr William Livingstone.

The Buick Memorial school community were left in no doubt as to the importance of democracy today and Isabella Steele, Tyler Barr, Sophie Hammill and Poppy Simpson led a lively debate on the motion ‘This house believes that the voting age should be lowered to 16.’ 

Jim Allister (MLA) and Paul Frew (MLA) were in attendance and addressed the school community offering their views on the importance of exercising the democratic right to vote. 

7 June 2018