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Watch Cathy on the fourth
plinth (warning: sound quality diminished)

by Hayley Robinson

hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk

The campaign to save a Rochester school from closure was
given maximum exposure after one mum took the fight to
London.

Cathy Hyland, vice-chairman of governors at St Peter’s Infant
School, stood for an hour on the empty fourth plinth in
Trafalgar Square on Friday night after she was chosen to take
part in the One and Other art experiment.

The space is usually reserved for statues of kings and generals,
but people from across the UK are being invited to occupy
the Fourth Plinth and make it their own for an hour.

Mum of two Cathy wore a Save our School T-shirt and used a
megaphone to read a poem and tell passers-by about Medway Council’s
plans to close the school and why it should stay open.

The school faces closure along with Ridge Meadow Primary School
in Churchill Avenue, Chatham and St John’s Infant School in New
Street, Chatham.

edway Council's Cabinet is meeting on Thursday to consider
officers' recommendations that the schools should close despite
strong public support to keep them open.

During her time on the plinth Cathy also held up speech bubble
cards with words used by the pupils to describe the school such as
lovely, interesting, fun and caring.

Paper aeroplanes with SOS (Save Our School) were thrown
down to spectators. When opened up they revealed messages and
drawings from pupils.

And when Cathy described Medway Council as throwing the future
of pupils to the wind she threw down 104 paper cutouts of children
which were weighed down with lollies attached to the back of
them. Each cutout represented a pupil at the school.

Six members of staff, four parents, a few ex-pupils, five
friends and Cllr Teresa Murray all made their way to London to
support Cathy as she took to the plinth between 11pm and
midnight.

She said: “It was a little nerve racking but once I was up
there I was OK. It was quite an amazing experience and
one I will cherish for the rest of my life. I just hope
Medway Council are listening to us.

“Cabinet members will meet on Thursday to decide whether
or not to go ahead with the closures.

“I’m quite pleased the meeting has been brought forward as it
doesn’t pro-long the decision, it’s just a shame that it will
bypass the overview and scrutiny committee" (which was due to meet
on August 24).