'˜You can have our flag' says Sleaford school after Bomber Command Centre flagpole theft

Members of the Bluey Club at William Alvey Primary School have got together and suggested loaning their Union Jack to the centre while fundraising for a new one.

According to police, the pole and flag were taken sometime over the weekend - just weeks after food and other items being prepared for an open day were stolen from the fledgling centre at Canwick Hill, which still needs to raise around £2m before it can be completed.

On that occasion donations again saved the day and it went ahead as planned and again, this time the genrous spirit of locals has shone through.

Nicky Barr, director at the IBCC was dejected after the latest raid but then thrilled by the offer from the pupils of William Alvey School yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon.

She said: “I am overwhelmed. What a fantastic gesture.

“I have contacted the headmaster and asked him whether he would like to bring the children to the Spire for a tour and present the flag then.”

Headteacher Stephen Tapley explained: “Over 60 children at the William Alvey Primary School have parents that serve, or have been serving, in the forces. These children get together a couple of times a month as part of the school’s ‘Bluey Club’.”

The club offers a place for them to get together and be supported when parents may be away on active service.

Mr Tapley said: “When they heard about the stolen flag and flagpole from the Lincoln Bomber Command Memorial, they immediately wanted to offer their support. The children love flags and as keen students of vexillology (study of flags) they have offered their own Union Jack while they spend some time fundraising to buy the Bomber Command Centre a new one.”

Mr Tapley said it was great that the children wanted to help out. “All their parents are in the forces, most of them in the RAF, so the Centre has an extra dimension for them,” he said.

“They know the flag shouldn’t have been taken and they are doing their best to show that from adversity you can work together and make something stronger and even more worthwhile.”

Nicky Barr has invited the children over to Lincoln when the flagpole is reinstated to hoist it back into position.

* If you have any information that may assist police enquiries, contact 101 and quote incident number 48 of 27/03/17. Alternatively, you may wish to contact Crimestoppers UK, anonymously on 0800 555 111.