New project aims to tell tale of Remembrance to school children

The National Memorial Arboretum has partnered with the Royal British Legion to offer around 1,000 Key Stage Two pupils a free school trip which promotes the importance of Remembrance and supports their personal and cultural development.

Running on both Tuesday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 3, the interactive outdoor event will feature a series of practical cross-curricular workshops to help young people broaden their understanding of the service and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces.

Schools within Staffordshire and across the Midlands are encouraged to book one of the limited slots left available and may be able to claim a coach bursary to cover the cost of travel, subject to criteria.

Lauren Vernon, learning and family activities officer at the National Memorial Arboretum, said: “Each year we welcome tens of thousands of young people to the National Memorial Arboretum for learning visits, offering thought-provoking, curriculum-based learning activities which explore the key themes of service, sacrifice and the importance of Remembrance.

“Developed in partnership with our parent charity, the Royal British Legion, the Teaching Remembrance Days have been thoughtfully designed to help school children learn about Remembrance in a creative and interactive way, presenting a unique opportunity for young people aged 7-11 to learn about history and its relevance in their lives today.”

Suzie Crowe, learning programme manager at the Royal British Legion said: “Since 1921, the Royal British Legion has led the nation in Remembrance and our Teaching Remembrance Learning Programme inspires the next generation to understand who, why and how we remember.

"We are delighted to be holding the Teaching Remembrance Days at the National Memorial Arboretum again this year.

"The event will allow young people to discover and learn more about the stories of those who served in 1944 and encourage them to remember the sacrifices that were made.”

Teaching Remembrance Days will offer a whole host of activities for children to take part in which will be themed around the events of 1944, marking the 80th anniversaries of many landmark moments during the Second World War on the battlefield and the home front.

In addition to exploring the new ‘1944... What’s your connection?’ exhibition, pupils will interact with actors throughout the day.

These actors will be bringing to life characters from this time period, including those who participated in D-Day operations, and fought at the Battles of Monte Casino, Kohima and Imphal.

Through theatre performances and interactive classroom sessions, they will be sharing stories and offering a glimpse into what their lives would have been like during what proved to be a pivotal year in the war.

Those visiting the 150-acre garden and woodland site will also be given the opportunity to explore the grounds and discover some of the more than 420 memorials dedicated to people who have served in the Armed Forces, Emergency Services, and civilian organisations.

To apply for a place at the Teaching Remembrance event, schools can visit the National Memorial website and fill in the online form at thenma.org.uk/what's-on/events/teaching-remembrance-day

For those unable to secure a space, or for schools looking to cater for alternative age groups, the National Memorial Arboretum offers schools the chance to visit on a self-led basis, or to join the learning team for a variety of informative workshops on an alternative date.

For more details, go to thenma.org.uk/visit-us/plan-your-visit/visiting-for-learning-and-training