Learning about war - and peace
Primary school pupils in Garstang have been on a school trip with a difference '“exploring the battlefields of France and Belgium.
The Year Five and Six pupil at Garstang St Thomas’s CE School visited the First World War battlefields and war graves as part of their topic on Peace and War.
Headteacher Jim Blakely said: “The trip has allowed the children to have a deeper understanding of the war and the importance of remembering it.
“My hope is that by teaching our children about war, it will mean they do all they can to be peacemakers.”
Deputy head Kate Stewart, who led the trip, added: “Visiting museums in Passchendaele and Vimy Ridge meant the children could walk through the trenches, and see for themselves important historical sites.
“It was important for the children to pay their respects to soldiers from Garstang at memorials such as the Menin Gate and Tyne Cot Cemetery.
“The children each left a prayer on the grave of an unknown soldier, and laid wreaths from Garstang St Thomas’ as a mark of remembrance.
“They feel like they have made their own journey to the trenches and it has allowed them to understand the bravery and sacrifice of local men from Garstang and members of their own families.”