Author Archives: MD
Gateways to the First World War
Lecture by Dr Emma Hanna
At University of Kent
Kent Hub Schools: Abbey School, Herne Bay High School, High Weald Academy, Oasis Academy, Isle of Sheppey and Thamesview School attended the Gateways to the First World War lecture given by Dr Emma Hanna. The lecture was an important part of the schools’ Peace Fields Project. Students will use their notes to help research and compile an exhibition of their work which will be displayed at their respective Peace Field twinning ceremonies in June 2016.
ABBEY SCHOOL’S 1000 POPPIES ON REMEMBRANCE DAY
Peace Field Football Tournament
Chailey School, Thursday 15th October 2015
Chailey School are the first Network School to kick off the Peace Fields Project (PFP) Tournaments. Assistant Head, Tim Dudgeon, led the way for network schools participating in the PFP, commemorating the First World War and celebrating peace through play. The event will be followed-up with the school receiving a plaque next year twinning Chailey School playing fields with Flanders Peace Fields, Messines, Belgium, site of the First World War Christmas Truces.
Assistant Head Teacher, Tim Dudgeon, introduces guest speaker Ernie Brennan from the National Children’s Football Alliance.
It was time for Chailey School’s now annual ‘Peace Field Football Tournament’ on Thursday! This tournament is also part of Chailey School’s ongoing commemoration project on ‘Chailey and The Great War’, the school’s continuing links with local primary schools, and also an important nation-wide project with the National Children’s Football Alliance. Local primary schools from Ditchling, Fletching, Hamsey, Wivelsfield, Plumpton, Newick, Barcombe and Danehill all played with enthusiasm and considerable skill, with both sporting competition and fair play being key parts of the afternoon. Mr Dudgeon, Assistant Headteacher at Chailey School, welcomed Ernie Brennan, Managing Director of the NCFA, to start the event with a ceremony of handing over a ‘Poppy Ball’, marking the school’s playing fields twinning with Flanders Peace Field and the Peace Village at Messines in
National Children’s Football Alliance’s Ernie Brennan presents Chailey School with a Peace Poppy Ball to kick off the Peace Fields Tournament
Belgium (site of the 1914 Christmas Truce). The nation-wide Peace Field Project has invited schools not only to commemorate World War One and the Christmas Truce but also to celebrate peace through reflecting on a moment in history that inspires humanitarianism, and Chailey School is proud to be at the forefront of this and one of the first schools to be involved.
The afternoon, organized by Chailey’s Ms Davey, and refereed and run by the school’s Year 9 Junior Sports Leaders, saw some great football being played in a sporting spirit. In the end, Ditchling won the Year 3 and 4 competition (Wivelsfield and Fletching the Fair Play Award) and Hamsey the Year 5 and 6 (with Plumpton and Hamsey winning the award for Fair Play at that level).
Abhijeet Barse (right) presents a Peace Poppy Ball to Claudia Doron’s (River of Hope, CEO) son for the Republic of Congo’s Peace Fields Project. The One World Play Project Peace Ball was presented outside the FIM International Conference.
Abhijeet Barse, CEO, Slum Soccer, represented the International Children’s Football Alliance at Football Is More’s International Forum, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland. Abhijeet presented the International Peace Fields Project to an invited audience many of whom were custodians of football in their respective countries.
Slum Soccer exists to foster sustainable development within otherwise marginalised populations of India. Abhijeet, says, ‘we aim to provide long term solutions to combat rife homelessness and improve living standards within underprivileged areas. Our approaches are centred on building self-sufficient communities. The game of Football is our means to that end- connecting individuals, teaching life skills and working towards improving overall quality of life.
Abhijeet Barse presents the International Children’s Football Alliance’s Peace Fields Projects at Football Is More’s International Forum in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.
The Peace Fields Projects will enable Slum Soccer coaches, participants and volunteers, to establish peace pitches across India. The PFP will educate young and older people the value of sports at all levels. Remembering the soldiers of the First World War is important way to contextualize a part of history that defines humanity in everyday life.
The Christmas Truces of 1914 are acts of human kindness and the stories lend themselves to everyday people from all cultures and backgrounds. We are looking forward to launching a Children’s Football Alliance (CFA) in India. Slum Soccer invites child focused agencies across India and the world to support the formation of an Indian CFA which through sharing best practice we will be in a stronger position to deliver funded projects to communities in need.
Contact: Slum Soccer