TWO schools with poignant links to the Bradford City fire disaster have been fundraising for the burns research unit.
Thornton Grammar, which will share money raised with the Bantams' youth development programme, and Immanuel College held events yesterday ahead of Monday's 30th anniversary of the tragedy.
Two Thornton Grammar pupils - Ashley Stockman, 16, and her brother Craig, 14, were killed in the fire, while two staff members at Immanuel had a relative who died.
Clive Truelove, a deputy head teacher at Thornton Grammar, said: "It is very personal to the school, in that we lost two children."
Ashley and Craig's mum Pat Clarke was invited along to Thornton, along with Bradford City stars Filipe Morais and Oliver McBurnie, and Bantams' young goalkeeping prodigy Chandler Hallwood.
READ MORE ON THE VALLEY PARADE FIRE DISASTER 30TH ANNIVERSARY
The footballers took part in penalty shootouts, signed autographs and posed for pictures.
Pupils also donned claret and amber or the colours of other sports teams, there was a design a kit competition, a memory wall put up, raffles, and commemorative badges, key-rings, bookmarks and cakes made. There was also a 'Guess the teacher from their baby photo' contest.
The school also held assemblies for each year group in the lead up to the event and read out the names of the 56 people who died in the fire.
"The children had a fun day, but also commemorated the 56," said Mr Truelove. "They are always remembered, particularly at Thornton.
"Craig and Ashley were members of the community, and it is still very real to the community. Thornton Grammar has a real community feel to Bradford City, and the 56 will never be forgotten."
Meanwhile, students and staff at Immanuel wore claret and amber to raise £500 for the burns unit at the University of Bradford.
Students swapped their school polo shirts for a City shirt, or wore scarves, hats and badges.
The 30th anniversary of the disaster is particularly poignant to the school head teacher's PA, Jane Gray. Her dad, Jack Ludlam, died in the fire.
She said: "After taking early retirement from the gas board in November 1984, he and my mum spent much of their time touring with their caravan. They had returned from one of their trips especially so that my dad could attend this very special match.
"The events of that day are still clearly etched in my memory and while I am much more able to cope with those memories, I still prefer to keep them private.
"My dad was, of course, a very special man. He had strong principles and a keen interest in all things. He taught us well and shaped who we are today. It is a source of great sadness that my own children never had the chance to meet him."
Jane said her family attend the memorial service every year, and added: "The Claret and Amber Day is a great way to support the burns unit and I hope that many of the schools in Bradford - it would be great if it spread nationwide - will include it in their fundraising calendar for years to come."
Jane's daughter Ellie, who also works at Immanuel, said: "This day is so special to me as I can see the effect it has had on my family. My grandad was sadly killed at the fire. I wasn’t alive when this happened and therefore I never got the chance to meet him. I would have loved to have as the stories my mum tells me about him always make me smile."
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