Firework display marks Lunar New Year at Shropshire college
The Lunar New Year was celebrated with a spectacular fireworks display at a college.
It was a very different experience for a Chinese-born head boy studying at Acton Burnell-based Concord College.
For Louis Tang, 18, who joined the college in 2017 in Year 10, the event was a long way from his home in Hong Kong.
The Lunar New Year – symbolising the start of the ‘Year of the Ox’ – also coincided with the beginning of half-term for Concord students.
Ordinarily, students and supporting staff would have the option to travel to Birmingham for a Chinese New Year meal and celebration at a chosen restaurant.
With Covid-19 restrictions in place, Concord organised celebrations to make some of the students feel a little closer to home.
The college catering team hosted an all you can eat style buffet in the dining hall.
Afterwards, students and staff enjoyed a fireworks display over Hall Meadow, in Acton Burnell.
Louis said: “The fireworks lit up the evening sky for all students to enjoy and the buffet left a sweet taste of our distant homes amidst the New Year celebrations.”
Other activities included authentic decoration making as well as a handful of students helping to create a Lunar New Year display outside the library.
Librarian Anne Williams said: “It was so nice to see students enjoying the Lunar New Year and activities – which served as a well-earned break – and to see them continuing to manage their studies and using the library throughout the celebratory period.”