Rednock pupils at cathedral conference (From Gazette Series)

Rednock pupils at cathedral conference

STUDENTS from Rednock School, Dursley, were among 300 teenagers from 11 schools across Gloucestershire who attended the fourth annual sixth form conference at Gloucester Cathedral on Friday.

This year's theme was Right to Fight? and the guest speakers were the chief constable of Gloucestershire, Dr Timothy Brain, the chaplain-in-chief of the RAF, the Ven Ron Hesketh, and Quaker and expert in conflict resolution Dr Diana Francis, from Bath.

After hearing presentation from each of the three panellists, the students divided into small groups to discuss the theme and prepare questions for the final open forum. The event was chaired by Dame Janet Trotter, vice-chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire.

Cathedral education officer Chris Crago said: "This was our most successful sixth form conference to date. The students asked perceptive and challenging questions.

"Their responses showed that young people are concerned about the issues we discussed - violence and self-defence, law and order, the notion of the 'just war', pacifism, and alternative ways of resolving conflict."