Mobile Media Archive
A VE Reminiscence Project for Schools 2005
Four WWII veterans shared their experiences through stories, memorabilia and photos with Year 6 pupils from Freshbrook, Toothill and Windmill Hill Primary Schools. Pupils worked alongside:
- creative writer Sara-Jane Arbury to write poems, diaries and letters;
- artist Laurie Plant to produce inspiring dramatic paintings
- and digital artist Dani Landau, to create digital artworks
Filmmaker Gurchetan Singh's video piece is a sensitive reflection of the engagement of young people with war veterans from their community.
Unique opportunity
Swindon’s Primary Schools Link Advisor Sarah Foulkes said, “This project has provided a unique opportunity for Swindon pupils to learn first hand about the war from veterans in their communities. We have been impressed by the level of understanding the children have shown – many of them said it was the first time they appreciated how much people had sacrificed in WWII.”
Mobile Media Director Shahina Johnson added, “It has been gratifying to see pupils engaging so sensitively with an older generation. The strength of an arts project like Their Past Your Future, is that it can bring history to life. By creating their own writing, visual and digital artworks on the subject, pupils have taken to the veteran’s stories, and their unique war experiences to heart, changing the way pupils think about life nowadays.”
Then Swindon Mayor Mr Ray Fisher commented, “This has been a fantastic project for bringing together young people in Swindon with an older generation in their community. Their Past Your Future is part of a national initiative to commemorate the 60th VE Anniversary, and Swindon should be proud to have contributed to a permanent archive with such an inspiring project.”