Youngsters’ city history lesson
FIVE-WEEK PROJECT TAKES PUPILS ON TOUR OF SUNDERLAND’S HERITAGE
Young Wearsiders were given a tour of the history on their own doorsteps as part of a five-week celebration of the city’s heritage.
About 100 children aged between nine and 11 were invited to join in the event run by Hendon-based Keep Active.
Pupils from Willowfields, Redby, Wessington, Bexhill and St Leonard’s primaries joined in the events.
They included an historical re-enactment and learning about Sunderland during the First World War with Time Bandits and a Military Bootcamp with Aaron Carabine from the Keep Active team.
They also visited Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens to learn about the city’s heritage and view the LS Lowry exhibition.
They enjoyed a storytelling session through art and then created a mural of the River Wear and its land marks in the style of Lowry.
A visit was paid to Sunderland Maritime Heritage Museum to learn about its shipbuilding history and enjoy practical sessions of skills that were developed in the shipyards.
They took a heroes and villain’s tour of the East End with Living History at the Donnison School and a cookery lesson with the Kreative Kitchen.
The activities were backed by Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Living History at The Donnison School, Sunderland Maritime Heritage Museum, Time Bandits and John Sumner.
Rachael Lawson, business development manager for Keep Active (NE) CIC, said: “The project was a huge success.
“Children were able to take part in activities that they have never done before.
“We delivered this project as a pilot to gather evidence in the hope that we will be able to secure further funding from the Heritage Lottery fund which will enable us to deliver the full project to every school in Sunderland.”
Michaela Newham, Year 5 teacher at Willowfields Primary, said: “The children thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of Heritage Week.
“They particularly enjoyed being able to handle the artefacts when learning about the life of a soldier.
“The cooking class was a blast and they were really experimental in trying all of the foods.
“They learnt a lot about LS Lowry and enjoyed listening to the song about his paintings, over and over again.”