Students join in mock citizenship ceremony

Press release - 22 June 2007

Students join in mock citizenship ceremony

Students from Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Telford, Whitchurch and Ludlow took part in a mock citizenship ceremony at an event held by Shropshire County Council’s registration service yesterday (Thursday 21 June).

The ceremony, held in the Council Chamber at Shirehall in Shrewsbury, aimed to demonstrate what all recipients of British citizenship have to go through in order to receive their new nationality certificates. It included the repeating of an oath of allegiance to the Queen, a pledge to be faithful citizens, and the playing of the national anthem.

The students, all aged 16 to 19, are each participating in County Training’s Skills for Life courses, and citizenship forms part of their studies. The event aimed to encourage them to look at citizenship from the perspective of people from other countries who apply and acquire British citizenship.

Karen Burton, Business Manager for Shropshire County Council’s registration service, said: “This event was a first for us, in that we have never worked with a group of young adults. Shropshire County Council is very keen to encourage the participation of young people and the Registration Service feels very honoured to have been asked by County Training to provide such an event.”

Councillor Brian Gillow, Chairman of Shropshire County Council, and Councillor June Drummond, the county council’s young people’s champion, also took part in the event.

Councillor Gillow said: “We enjoyed meeting all of the students tremendously, and hope sincerely that they took something from today’s experience that may be useful in their studies or in later life.”

The students also discussed what was attractive about British citizenship to those who do not have it by right, and looked at the application process and excerpts from the “Life in the UK” test, which must be sat by all applicants for British citizenship.

ENDS

For further information, call Karen Burton, Business service manager, Shropshire County Council's registration service, on (01743) 252897.
For media contact, call Gareth Proffitt, Communications Officer, on (01743) 252828.