Education Report - Feb 2020

Education Coordinators Report, February 2020.

This has been a quiet time in terms of engagement with young people and/or adults but a lot of time has been spent on planning activities. This report is, therefore, shorter than normal.

Continuing projects.

29th Division – we have received some good publicity through this project so far. I will be doing a prize giving assembly at Knightlow School on February 28th. There will be other activities around the tree planting, the inauguration of the new board and the planting of mini memorials to V.C. winners, designed by the pupils. Trustees have approved a separate payment of £900 towards the cost of the new board.

Gosport – the GA supported a tour of Gallipoli by students from Brune Park School. There is still some funding left. The school has won a large grant from the RHS to develop the school grounds. It would make sense for a Gallipoli memorial to be part of this.

2020 projects.

Already confirmed by Trustees.

Leeds Theatre Group - there have been some minor changes to the action plan to ensure greater engagement. By the time of the Trustees Meeting I will have done an afternoon session with the cast on Yorkshire and Gallipoli.

Still to be confirmed by Trustees

Soldiers of Gloucester Museum - I met with their staff in February and, I must say, was very impressed with them. The proposed project has been changed slightly (this is reflected in the GA Education Plan). It now involves 15 college students, training to be electricians, producing a new interactive display on the Gloucester Regiment and the Royal Gloucester Dragoons in the campaign. This will then form a key part of the Museum’s education programme. I think this is a very exciting project – just the sort that contributes to our charitable aims.

Billy Unsworth - Graham Walker has been very helpful with the planning and organisation of the NRC. He will be making an input into the conference, including performing a song. He is keen to develop a project around the production of a booklet on Billy Unsworth but which involves the local community.

Museum champions - I have asked the Ogilvy Army Museum Trust to advertise these opportunities. Given that the adult tours are in May and the school in June, it may mean that any “Champion” will join a tour in 2021, although he or she will do the work this year.

Post Graduate Bursaries - I have sent reminders regarding the possibility of funding to staff at the four universities.

The Yorkshire Army Museum emailed me to say they could no longer continue with the planned project due to capacity issues. I am in discussion with the following museums to see whether they are interested in developing a project: the Keep Museum, Dorset, the Museum of the Norfolk Regiment, the Mercian Regiment Museum (Worcester) and Cumbria Museum of Military Life. Any project will be dependent on Trustee approval. I will feedback on any developments at the meeting.

EC Discretionary Projects.

Worcester Qatia Day - the organisers of this annual service (this year on April 18th) where they commemorate a battle in Egypt in 1916, have kindly agreed to a Gallipoli input into this. I will attend and lay a wreath. I have attended a recent talk on Gallipoli, hosted, by the Battle of Worcester Society, in which I made a number of useful contacts and flew the GA flag. I hope to develop the Qatia Day into a community project partly on Gallipoli. There is a lot of interest in Gallipoli in Worcester -at the meeting there were a number of people who had relatives who served in the campaign.

Essex Regiment Day -  I responded to the email regarding attendance at this day on July 25th in Chelmsford. I will man a stand. I will put something on social media asking for other members to support this (and help me!). Once again, I hope to develop a community project around this and, through a friend who lives locally, have made contact with a school. Watch this space!

Rochdale/Tasmania Oaks - I have been in communication with Steve Brown. He did a lot of work on our behalf whilst in Tasmania. We are planning an activity booklet on Eric Duckworth and the Rochdale Oak, that will be used by a primary school in Tasmania and a secondary school in the UK. We are also planning acorn planting and a memorial service. We are trying to find a school in Rochdale. I hope to have found one before the NRC. If not, I will try to establish some contacts via the conference.

James Brothers - I have been presented with a lovely collection of on - line material on three brothers who served in the Australian Light Horse. Their family came from Wales: one of the brothers was born there. The gentleman concerned gave me permission to use the material for teaching. I will try to find a school, community group or museum that is interested.

Kingshurst Academy - my only recent teaching was to this group asking them to decide whether the Gallipoli V.C. winner, Lt. George Moor of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, should have a statue in his memory. There are rumours that he was awarded the V.C. after shooting four soldiers from another regiment. The students considered the evidence and concluded that he should have a statue (he will have a mini memorial in Stretton). I will be teaching there again, in early March, on the Quintishill train crash.

I have also made contact with an Alan Fenwick, who I spoke to at the AGM. He organises an ANZAC Day event in Aberdeen. I have offered support for this.

So far there have been no costs to these activities.

Other projects/issues.

Northern Regional Conference - we have over 80 applicants.

North Dulwich Tour - the school have done everything required of them, including paying their share already. I will be doing a session with the students on March 19th. I propose asking the students to make the same presentations, whilst on the tour, as the Brune Park students did. I have also told them they will need to make a presentation at the AGM.

School tours for 2021 and 2022 - due to the generous donations we have received, we now have funding for tours in 2021 and part of the funding for 2022. We need to discuss how we are going to advertise for school applications for 2021, particularly as the funding is for schools serving areas of deprivation. We also need to discuss how we are going to approach further fundraising, particularly to meet the 2022 shortfall.