TWIN WITH FLANDERS

Posted on July 23, 2020 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

DESIGNATED AREAS OF PLAY TWINNED WITH FLANDERS PEACE FIELD

National Children’s Football Alliance and the Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium, are commemorating WW1 and celebrating peace through the 1914 Christmas Truces by offering schools, clubs, groups and public play areas with the opportunity to twin a designated area of play with Flanders Peace Fields, site of the Christmas Truces. This is open to all schools, clubs, groups and public play areas around the world.

This unique offer will directly link your area of play with one of the most famous fields in world history. Flanders Peace Field lends itself to education in a way that brings cultures, young and old together.

In the week leading up to Christmas 1914 groups of German, British and allied soldiers stopped fighting to sing festive songs. Some on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ventured in to “No man’s land” to exchange gifts and to play games of football.

Today the truces are remembered as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity. An action taken by soldiers caught up in the conflict that was The First World War. Arguably, the horrors of war made men turn to a form of childhood to play a game of football to momentarily forget their tragic situation. It was a humanitarian act through the essence of play that every adult remembers in their childhood.

Declaration of Peace

The NCFA are providing schools, clubs, groups and public areas of play, the opportunity to twin their designated areas of play with the Flanders Peace Field. Working in partnership with the Peace Village, Messines, Belgium (site of the 1914 Christmas Truces) the Peace Field Project (PFP) invites you not only to commemorate wars but also to celebrate peace through reflecting on a moment in history that inspires humanitarianism.

Apply (FREE) on-line by submitting

AN EMAIL STATING PFP IN THE SUBJECT BOX TO THE NCFA: info@thecfa.co.uk

“The Peace Fields Project is a great way for young people to commemorate the First World War”

David Cameron, Former British Prime Minister.

Participants in the PFP receive:

Two Peace Field Project Plaques. One displayed at the area of play and one displayed in Flanders
A joint PFP certificate from NCFA and Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field
A PFP kite mark
Online links with Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field and NCFA’s Football & Peace website with access to forum / quarterly newsletters / events.
Each PFP will have their home page on the Football & Peace website.

AIM

The aim of the PFP is to create AMBASSADORS FOR PEACE – peace makers for the future. Young people (inspired by the 1914 Christmas Truces) will absorb the essence of why fair play is important and begin to understand that sport can transcend conflict and cement friendships for life.

Lest We Forget

The PFP lends itself to cross curricular activities: sports, history, literacy, arts, humanities, citizenship, community cohesion and intergenerational relationships.

All participants are invited to sign a PFP Declaration, pledging to hold peace games event once a year throughout the centenary years on their peace field to commemorate WW1 and celebrate peace.

The Peace Fields Project is open to all communities promoting sportsmanship and equal opportunities.

Download information here

FOOTBALL & PEACE PROJECT

Posted on June 22, 2020 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

FOOTBALL AND PEACE

EVALUATION REPORT

First World War Centenary: one year to go

Communities across the UK begin marking the First World War Centenary thanks to Lottery funding

99 years since the UK entered the First World War, communities across the country have been given the green light to start a range of projects that will mark the forthcoming Centenary thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Grants announced August 2013 include the first to be awarded through First World War: then and now, HLF’s £6million small grants programme announced by the Prime Minister at the Imperial War Museum last October which aims to help communities explore, conserve and share their First World War heritage.

Now, young people in Kent will explore the role of football during the 1914 Christmas Day Truce; blind and partially sighted groups in Wolverhampton will begin researching how the war advanced ophthalmic medicine; people across the UK will investigate the names commemorated on their local war memorials including Abbotskerswell in Devon; the contribution of Scotland’s nurses to the war effort will be shared and marked; whilst the story of soldiers from Bolton who fought and died at Gallipoli will be remembered.

Paul Cooper

HLF’s First World War: then and now forms part of the UK Government’s Centenary programme. National Children’s Football Alliance Projects Director Paul Cooper said: ‘This an important time to remember and a period in history that young people should have the opportunity to discover, discuss and contemplate. HLF’s forward thinking provides organisations like NCFA to engage all young people, which will help continue the remembrance link’.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Our duty with these commemorations is clear. To honour those who served. To remember those who died. And to ensure that the lessons learnt live with us for ever.”

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of HLF, said: “The impact of the First World War was incredibly far reaching. Our new programme only opened in May and already HLF has seen a great deal of interest in people wanting to commemorate this important Centenary, coming forward with a myriad of fascinating ideas for projects. This is just the beginning of some very interesting explorations for communities everywhere who will find their own individual ways of commemorating.”

HLF has already invested more than £15million in projects – large and small – that mark the Centenary of First World War.

Football & Peace Project – National Children’s Football Alliance, Kent (grant £32,500)

This project will use the iconic 1914 Christmas Day truce as a vehicle to explore the relationship between sport and the First World War. Local people across Kent, young and old, will research the impact of the War on local communities and will in particular look at the importance of recreation to soldiers during the conflict. A documentary film of the project will be produced along with a website including the research and oral histories collected. The project will culminate in a final exhibition at Maidstone United Football Club, Gallagher Stadium.

FOOTBALL MAKES HISTORY

Posted on April 2, 2020 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

– AN EDUCATIONAL PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EU ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME –

Football Makes History brings together history educators and youth workers from all over Europe to develop new educational resources that can help young people explore European history and heritage through the lens of football, as well as use football to tackle social exclusion.

A website to talk about our two favorite subjects combined: football and history. Some of us work in formal (school) education (as teachers or developers of educational resources), others are working outside the school with youngsters. Some of us are football organisations. Most of us are working in, with, around, through football. We initiated a project, and with support of Erasmus+, are working closely together.

Click on the banner to find out more

NORTH COST INTEGRATED COLLEGE

Posted on December 4, 2019 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

PEACE TRIANGLE

North Coast Integrated College, Coleraine, twin their designated areas of play with Flanders Peace Field, Belgium, site of the First World War 1914 Christmas Truces. The twinning event will take place at the Christmas Carol Service 19th December, 2019.

UPDATED 16/12/19

North Coast Integrated College Peace Field Project

Remembering the importance of Peace at Christmas

Even in the darkest of life experiences there are opportunities to show humanity and kindness; this was evident when over 100 years ago in World War 1 when there was a truce on Christmas day. On Thursday 19^th December during our Christmas Carol Service we will formally twin our playing pitch at North Coast Integrated College with Flanders Peace Field. This is a symbolic twinning which will encourage pupils to learn about the First World War and the importance of respect for people on different sides- both on and off the pitch.

The strong integrated ethos at North Coast Integrated College provides a learning environment that promotes good relations among everyone in the school community. We believe that the curriculum of our integrated school encourages pupils to learn from History to shape the future. In Northern Ireland we are building peace and it is important that our young people learn and remember the devastation that conflict can bring. In World War 1 soldiers from all sides of Ireland bravely fought and died side by side. The bullets, bombs, gas and barbed wire didn’t care what religion their victims were.

The aim of the Peace Field Project is to create peace makers for the future. Young people (inspired by the 1914 Christmas Truce) will absorb the essence of why fair play is important and begin to understand that sport can transcend conflict and cement friendships for life.

It is fitting that in the year that Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and the Integrated Education Fund were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize that North Coast Integrated College highlights the importance or respect and fair play for all our young people.

Poem excerpt from Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate.

The Christmas Truce

All night, along the Western Front, they sang, the enemies- carols, hymns, folk songs. Anthems in German, English, French; each battalion choired in its grim trench.

So Christmas dawned, wrapped in mist, to open itself and offer the day like a gift

For Harry, Hugo, Hermann, Henry, Heinz….

With whistles, waves, cheers, shouts, laughs.

CHART WOOD SCHOOL

Posted on June 7, 2019 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

THE WYVERN SCHOOL

Posted on December 16, 2018 by MD Posted in Uncategorized, United Kingdom .

UPDATE 05/04/19

THE PEACE RIDE CHEQUE PRESENTATION

Students and staff at the Wyvern School took part in the Peace Field fundraising cycle and rowing event during the week of 25th to 29th March, to help raise funds as part of the school link to the Peace Fields project which enables children from underprivileged backgrounds of mixed ability and mixed gender to take part in the 2019 GLOBAL PEACE GAMES, an opportunity to participate in a weeklong peace education programme at The Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium that will have a lasting impact on each and every young person. Pending funding there is an opportunity for students from Wyvern to participate in the 2020 games.

The activity involved the whole school were students were able to either ride two-wheel or three-wheel bikes, scooters and an adapted wheelchair bike around measured tracks located about the school playgrounds, and a static cycle, or row on a static rowing machine (to cover the distance across the channel) to equal the same distance members of the National Children’s Football Alliance cycled from Canterbury to Ypres on their sponsored bike ride.

Members of Wyvern covered a total distance of 107 miles, just over the actual distance required, raising £200, a fantastic achievement. The cheque was presented to David Ramzan, NCFA Disability Officer, by the students of the school and headteacher John Somers.

TO THE NCFA

Thank you so much for organising such a memorable and wonderful visit for the boys- and us! It was an amazing, moving and truly inspiring visit. Bruges were so welcoming and friendly – I was honestly taken aback by their generosity. It’ll be a trip all the boys will remember forever I’m sure. Many many thanks for making it happen.

Best,

Helen

(Teacher)

UPDATE 16/12/18

Peace Field Project– Messines, Belgium 13^th-15^th December

Five students from the 6^th Form have just returned from a successful residential visit to Belgium.

Wyvern school has signed up to a Peace Field Project organised by the National Children’s Football Alliance – in fact we are the first SEN school in this country to have joined. Its purpose is to commemorate WW1 and the centenary and to celebrate peace by giving schools the opportunity to twin a designated area of their playing field with Flanders Peace Fields, the site of the Christmas Truce. In the week leading up to Christmas 1914, groups of German, British and allied soldiers stopped fighting to sing festive songs. Some soldiers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ventured in to “No man’s land” to exchange gifts and to play games of football.

Students shared a room at the Peace Field Hostel and, over the course of a couple of days, were given guided tours of a number of Commonwealth War Memorials and trenches by Ernie Brennan, a representative from the Children’s Football Alliance. They also attended the Last Post, a nightly service that has been conducted at Menin Gate every night, 365 nights a year since the end of WW1.

On the first full day at Messines, students signed a football and placed it at the site of the Christmas Truces. They were shown how close the British and German trenches were and they visited the field where the Truce took place, now marked by just a simple cross. Later that day, students unveiled the Wyvern School plaque at a Peace Field football pitch, twinning us forever with that site.

On the final morning, Wyvern school played Bruges SEN team. Both teams swapped presents at the start of the match, just as the soldiers in 1914 had. Wyvern gave Bruges a signed school shirt and they gave us their club flags. Philippe, the Bruges coach, presented us each a small clay sculpture. In total there were 600, 000 sculptures commissioned, one for each person – civilian or soldier – who died in Belgium between 1914-18.

The opposing team were a couple of years younger, and, without being asked, our students showed a real and intuitive generosity of spirit by playing kindly and shouting words of encouragement to the opposing side. It was still a competitive game, with the younger team being completely unafraid of the older boys, and tackling with determination. The final score was 9-8 to Wyvern.

We sang, or at least attempted to sing, ‘Silent Night’ in four different languages and finally our students signed another football which was placed at a memorial at the hostel. David Ramzan and Philippe signed a Peace Declaration and we have pledged, in the near future, to play a game of football on our school site in the spirit of friendship and humanity of the original truce.

The students were wonderful ambassadors for the school and David, Darren and I couldn’t have been prouder.

Pupils and staff from The Wyvern School, Ashford, Kent, UK unveiled their Peace Plague at Flanders Peace Pitch. They also visited the site of the Christmas Truces to commemorate the war dead and celebrate peace. They also visited The Last Post, The Menin Gate, Ypres. The team celebrated twinning their school’s Peace Pitch with The Peace Village, Peace Pitch, Flanders by playing Bruges FC.

‘The most important thing that I learnt was how close the Allied and German trenches were and what it was like to be in one’ Pupil

‘My attitudes and opinions have changed because I understand how a simple game of football can bring enemies together’ Pupil

‘I learnt how the generals said that WW1 is going to end in 6 months but it lasted 4 years’ Pupil

‘I learnt that there were so many names on the walls of the Menin Gate’ Pupil

‘The Peace Field Project made me think how lucky I am’ Pupil

Saturday 15th December

THE PEACE VILLAGE

Mesen, Belgium

The Wyvern School v Bruges FC Saturday 15th December will officially twin the school’s football pitch with Flanders Peace Field. The ceremony will take place at the Flanders Peace Pitch and The Peace Fields Project Plaque will be unveiled by Helen Newman (The Wyvern School) and Matti Vandemeale (Director, The Peace Village). The Declaration of Peace will be signed by David Ramzan (NCFA, Special Educational Needs Officer).

The Wyvern School, Ashford, Kent, is a special school for children with severe, profound and complex needs that caters for learners from 3-19. Dedicated staff work closely with parents, carers and multi-agencies to ensure that all children feel safe, secure and supported in their learning. Each child will have a unique experience and our aim is that they enjoy their learning and realise their full potential.

UPDATE 29/11/31

Ernie Brennan, National Children’s Football Alliance, CEO, presents David Ramzan, NCFA, Special Education Needs Officer and The Wyvern School, Ashford, Kent, Teacher Assistant, a Peace Field Project (PFP) plaque at Folkestone Museums’s Walter Tull exhibition. The PFP officially twins the school’s designated area of play with Flanders Peace Field.

Breda Academy

Posted on November 17, 2018 by MD Posted in Uncategorized .

Breda Academy’s Ambassadors for Peace. Ms K Sweeney presented Paul Cochrane and Lewis Wilson, their Ambassador for Peace certificates which were awarded to them for their outstanding contribution to the 2018 Global Peace Games. CLICK HERE TO VIEW FILM