I am currently working on an exciting outreach project which is part of the Their Past Your Future learning programme, which is organised by Museums, Libraries and Archives England and supported by the Big Lottery Fund. The scheme is based around the exploration of the impact of 20th Century conflict on people and places in the UK and around the world. Many of the previous projects have worked with soldiers and veterans but we are taking a slightly different approach and working with peace movement veterans whilst utilising the papers of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), held here at the LSE Archives.
We plan to stage two workshops for school-children, one in November and one in February 2010. The workshops will be formed of four main sessions: firstly the students will receive an introduction to the history of CND and nuclear weapons and will have the chance to meet the veterans; secondly they will have a tour of the archive and view an exhibition celebrating CND’s 50th Anniversary. They will then hear an introduction to oral history and reminiscence and learn interview techniques which they will utilise later on in the day during a question and answer session with the veterans. The last session will see the students looking at leaflets and posters from the CND archive whilst learning about design and campaigning, resulting in them creating their own leaflets and posters for a cause of their choice.
Lots of different people are involved in the November workshop including the staff here at LSE Archives, Anna Liddle the Peace Education Officer at CND, four peace movement veterans – Bruce Kent, David Rumsey, Diana Francis and Sylvia Boyes, the historian Michelle Johansen, the artist Victoria Turnbull, students from the LSE Widening Participation Scheme and last but not least Greenshaw High School from Sutton.
With lots of different people involved it should be a fun and interesting day and hopefully everyone participating will come away with new skills and experiences as well as having had a great time.
If you would like to know more about the Their Past Your Future scheme, further information can be found on the websites www. theirpast-yourfuture.org.uk and www.tpyf.specialistnetwork.org.uk.