‘Never Absent, Never Late’ By Sydney Chapman Pages 30

Silver attendance medal awarded to John Jackson, 1907 children away from school to assist them. Eventually Cumberland County Council Education Committee, like others elsewhere, adopted the idea of awarding a medal to pupils with a perfect or good attendance record to encourage them to go to school on a regular basis. Examples of them in the Museum’s collection are illustrated here: a bronze one awarded to John Jackson in 1903 with added clasp bar for 1905 recording two years of perfect attendance; in 1906 a star was pinned to the ribbon through the clasp for completing his three years of perfect attendance. Remarkably he achieved a fourth year without losing a day’s schooling and was given a silver medal in 1907. These awards were, of course, useful when it came to seeking a job as employers were looking for workers who were good time keepers. The wording towards the edge of the medals also echoed the idea of useful, regular and dutiful employment: “With Head and Heart and Hand We Work For Cumberland” words chosen by the co-founder of the National Trust and the School of Industrial Arts at Keswick, Canon Rawnsley.

Bronze attendance medal awarded to John Jackson, 1903

Celebrate this Christmas Season

Whilst we have suffered loss over the last months there is still much to celebrate. Many businesses are bouncing back. Some have more work than ever. Many employees are earning more money. From shop workers to school teachers, we are proud of those who ploughed on through the pandemic and continued to inspire working through these challenging times. Many have continued in their volunteer roles and some have entered new roles. When you visit your local vaccine centre, instead of complaining about the long wait caused by outside profiteering pharmacies merging two days’ bookings into one to half their overheads whilst getting paid the same money, express your gratitude to the local

volunteers. Some have even personally paid to do training to serve the public in a voluntary role. So, as you are getting your booster, give them a boost.

And yes, as a Hospital Chaplain, I am conscious that there will be absences around our tables this Christmas season. Even here, let us celebrate the memories. For whilst loved ones are physically gone from us, they are forever in our hearts and nothing can take away the memories we treasure. Let each of us bring some Christmas cheer to people by speaking words of encouragement and appreciation. Ian Newton Chaplan - Cumberland Infirmary and East Cumbria Community hospitals

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