Creative Workshops Brings History Alive

Pupils at the Business Academy Bexley (BAB) recently spent an enjoyable and interesting day learning more about the history of Thamesmead thanks to a partnership between Trust Thamesmead and the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA), which holds a significant archive of Thamesmead.

LMA Interpretation Officer Paul Sherreard said: “The Trust has a great project called T'riffic Thamesmead which it runs in conjunction with local schools and which is designed to give local children a sense of pride and belonging and to clearly demonstrate that Thamesmead is so much more than a series of housing estates.

“Our archives are full of films, posters and leaflets which can tell us all about how Thamesmead was built, why it was built and what was here before. We use history, drama, literacy and art skills in our workshops and while the session at the BAB was a pilot we plan to offer more workshops to Thamesmead schools in the future.”

Jodie Poffley, Year 4 Teacher said: ‘The children had been producing newspaper reports about Thamesmead as part of their Literacy and the workshop made it come alive for them, and have realised what a special place Thamesmead is. They are now very excited about their Thamesmead reports and have been thinking about how they would design their own towns.'

Ten year old Sasha Smith said ‘The presentation was really good and exciting because we learned more information. I think Thamesmead has changed a lot, there are more shops and more places to go.'

Daisey Hall, who is also 10 said: “I understand how Thamesmead has changed. I think it is a good place to live; there are lots of parks for children to play in.”

Paul concluded "We had a T'riffic Time in Thamesmead, as usual. The children at Bexley Business Academy Bexley asked some great questions and had a lot of intelligent things to say about the films we showed them. We came away from the school really impressed by the children and the school made us feel very welcome. As part of our work together the children designed some new ideas for 22nd Century Thamesmead - I wonder if anyone in Thamesmead today would like to live in a Space-Rocket-House or a block of flats the shape of a robot?"