Hay Festival to host free programme for schools
Hay Festival is the world’s leading festival of ideas, bringing readers and writers together in sustainable events to inspire, examine and entertain in Hay-on-Wye, Wales. Returning for its first in-person spring in two years, the Hay Festival 2022 programme will launch the best new fiction and non-fiction, while offering insights and debate around some of the biggest issues of our times in a programme of conversations featuring more than 600 award-winning writers, policy makers, pioneers and innovators. Hay Festival has today revealed the free Programme for Schools for this spring’s edition, bringing writers and young readers together in-person and online for a series of inspiring interactive activities and workshops, 26-27 May, ahead of the main programme 26 May-5 June 2022. Parents and teachers can explore the programme online now at hayfestival.org/schools with priority booking open now to all state schools in Wales. KS2 events on Thursday 26 May: See Wales Book of the Year 2021-winner Caryl Lewis introduce her new novel, Seed and Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell present Wizards and Magic. Anthony Horowitz discusses The Diamond Brother Detectives: Where Seagulls Dare TV scientist Ben Garrod launches Extinct Maz Evans offers VI Spy: Never Say Whatever Again BBC Radio 4’s Rich Knight talks If I Ran the Country Iszi Lawrence tells the stories of real-life heroic women in Billie Swift Takes Flight; engineer Roma Agrawal shares How Was That Built? MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman launch the fifth book in their bestseller Adventures on Trains series, Sabotage on the Solar Express Piers Torday discusses his prequel novel The Wild Before; Nadia Shireen introduces the weird and wonderful animals of Grimwood Elle McNicoll presents her magical fantasy Like a Charm. KS3/4 events on Friday 27 May Welsh poet and playwright Eric Ngalle Charles perform Homelands Nigerian-Welsh writer Natasha Bowen offer her unforgettable love story infused with West African mythology, Skin of the Sea. Jacqueline Wilson discusses Baby Love Television’s first lady of the paranormal and presenter of Most Haunted Yvette Fielding talks The House in the Woods novelist Alex Wheatle shares Kemosha of the Caribbean Christine Pillainayagam debuts her hilarious novel, Ellie Pillai is Brown Femi Fadugba presents his debut title, The Upper World Louisa Reid shares the unique power of the verse novel with Wrecked/Gloves Off Everyday Sexism founder Laura Bates launches her new novel, The Trial Jeffrey Boakye presents What is Masculinity? Why Does it Matter? And Other Big Questions; “Queen of Teen Thrillers” Sophie McKenzie talks Truth or Dare Podcaster and author Alexis Caught offers Queer Up: An Uplifting Guide to LGBTQ+ Love, Life, and Mental Health. For those who can’t access the free events in person, sessions will also be streamed free online, with closed captioning available in Welsh and English at hayfestival.org/schools, and available free after the event on Hay Player at hayfestival.org/hayplayer. The last full in-person Programme for Schools at Hay Festival 2019 saw more than 10,000 pupils attend from primary and secondary schools across England and Wales, while digital editions over the past two years have reached more than 160,000 pupils with free events online. Alongside today’s announcement, the Festival has also opened applications to the Beacons Project, a free creative residency for budding Welsh writers aged 16-18, and unveiled a new 25% reduction in ticket prices for all those in further education. Full details can be found at hayfestival.org/education. Aine Venables, Hay Festival Education Manager, said: “Following two years of enormous challenges for young people in Wales and the wider UK, we’re delighted to be back offering in-person inspiration alongside a vibrant digital offer for 2022. “With the return of our free Programme for Schools and Beacons Project alongside our new student ticket offer, we’re on our way to making this year’s Festival our most accessible and inclusive yet. Join us.” Twenty-two early-bird events are on sale now at hayfestival.org/wales with the full programme scheduled for release to Friends of Hay Festival on Tuesday 5 April and on general sale Friday 8 April. A special gala event to celebrate the 35th anniversary year of Hay Festival will take place in London on Thursday 7 April as writers and performers share the literary works that have most inspired them over the years, along with anecdotes from their favourite Festival moments. Tickets are available now at hayfestival.org/p-18658-hay-festival-tales.aspx. Keep up to date with Hay Festival news by signing up to the newsletter or follow on: Twitter: @hayfestival / @hayfestival_esp Facebook: hayfestival / hayfestivalesp Instagram: @hayfestival / @hayfestival_esp TikTok: @hayfestival / @hayfestival_esp #HayFestival2022
HALF TERM FAMILY ACTIVITIES!
The first is WEAVING JOURNEYS – free, drop-in creative sessions where visitors can help make a giant woven artwork! After taking inspiration from the paintings and objects in The Box’s new blockbuster exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, visitors can choose from a host of different materials and weave them into a massive panel that will be displayed at The Box in early 2022. FREE: Tuesday 26 – Friday 29 October: 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm The second is the HALLOWEEN MONSTER MASH! A spook-tacular Halloween evening filled with music, food, craft activities and lots of fun for all the family – from Halloween DJ playing family-friendly classics, torchlight tours of the galleries, slime-makingsessions with a crazy scientist in the Learning Room and fang-tastic food & drink at The Box Kitchen and Bar. Be sure to wear your most scream-worthy outfit as the best dressed of the night will win the fancy-dress competition! £5, Saturday 30 October: 6.30pm-9pm. THE BOX MUSEUM | GALLERY | ARCHIVE European premiere of award-winning Australian exhibition SONGLINES: TRACKING THE SEVEN SISTERS L-R: Seven Sisters Songline (1994) by Josephine Mick – Ninuku Arts; Yarrkalpa (Hunting Ground) (2013) by Kumpaya Girgirba, Yikartu Bumba, Kanu Nancy Taylor, Ngamaru Bidu, Janice Yuwali Nixon, Reena Rogers, Thelma Judson and Kola Ngalangka – Martumili Artists The world’s oldest continuing culture comes to Plymouth 21 October 2021 – 27 February 2022 TICKETS £10 (£7.50 CONCESSIONS / FREE FOR UNDER 18S) FIRST VISIT FREE FOR PLYMOUTH RESIDENTS “A triumph of 21st-century museology that the world deserves to see.” – The Guardian “Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters is a peerless exhibition of Aboriginal art, thrilling in its breadth and depth.” – The Conversation “The sheer complexity and ambition of this project is staggering… Civilisation begins when we discover the capacity to be thrilled and enlightened by someone else’s story.” – The Sydney Morning Herald The Box is proud to announce the European premiere of the National Museum of Australia’s award-winning exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters from 21 October – 27 February 2022. The exhibition forms part of the UK/Australia Season 2021-22, a major programme of cultural exchange taking place across the two nations. The Box’s presentation of Songlines continues the museum’s track record of collaborating with First Peoples around the world and follows recent exhibitions co-curated with the Wampanoag of North America – Mayflower 400: Legend & Legacy as well as Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America. Featuring over 300 paintings and objects by more than 100 artists, this is the first time the exhibition has been seen outside Australia. Originally staged at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra and touring to Perth’s Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip, the exhibition has attracted over 400,000 visitors to date. Entirely conceived and curated by a team of First Australians, led by Margo Neale, Senior Indigenous Curator at the NMA and custodial elders from across the Central and Western Deserts of Australia, it expertly combines state-of-the art exhibition and display technologies with art, song and dance in order to share ancient stories from the world’s oldest continuing culture. As an important city in Britain’s naval history, Plymouth’s close ties with Australia go back centuries as a point of departure and mass migration from the UK. Songlines’ timely arrival at The Box comes as societies in the UK, Australia and across the world grasp the urgent need to reflect and embrace cultural diversity and re-evaluate our relationship with each other, our immediate environment, and the planet as a whole. A world-first in scale and complexity, the exhibition was conceived with the ambition of preserving the Seven Sisters Dreaming stories – ancient creation sagas of the Australian continent – for future generations. The show provides an international platform for Indigenous voices to share Tjukurpa or Dreaming stories in new ways with contemporary artworks becoming portals to places in the deserts of the Martu, the Ngaanyatjarra and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) peoples. Songlines takes visitors on an epic journey that traverses three states, three deserts and some 500,000 square kilometres. The highly immersive exhibition travels from west to east: from the Western Australian coast to the APY Lands in the east, using the power of contemporary art, performance and song to re-animate traditional stories, photography, multimedia and the world’s highest-resolution seven-metre-wide travelling dome. The ‘DomeLab‘ transports viewers to places deep in the desert relating to the Seven Sisters Songlines, including the remote Cave Hill site in South Australia – home to the only known Seven Sisters rock art in the world – as well as showing animated artworks and their relationship to the stars and constellations. L-R: Kungkarangkalpa – Seven Sisters (2015) by Tjungkara Ken, Yaritji Young, Maringka Tunkin, Freda Brady and Sandra Ken – Tjala Arts; Kungarangkalpa walka board by Malya Teamay – Maruku Arts; A performance of the Kungkarangkalpa: Seven Sisters songline inma (ceremony) at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, 2013 Songlines are a map of the land as well as a pathway for complex spiritual, cultural, political and historical truths or knowledges – and so much more. Songlines crisscross the land, creating a network of stories that ‘map’ the Australian continent by linking narratives to geographical features and serving as vehicles for naming and locating sites critical for survival physically and culturally. It is through Songlines that Aboriginal people can locate and learn from significant sites and pass on laws, ways of living, and moral codes to the next generation. ‘We have brought the song, story and paintings full of Tjukurpa, the creation spirit of the Seven Sisters, to put in our exhibition … so many other people can look, learn and increase their understanding,’ said Inawinytji Williamson, senior law woman and traditional owner of the Seven Sisters songline, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara lands, and spokesperson for the Community Curatorium who worked with the NMA to direct the representation of cultural material in the exhibition. The Box’s showing of Songlines is part of the UK/Australia Season 2021–22, a joint initiative by the
Boundless Outdoors
With outdoor learning centres in Malvern and Bell Heath, Boundless Outdoors aim to be the leading outdoor activity centres in Worcestershire and the West Midlands. With outdoor learning and fun at the core of everything we do we offer a range of exciting and exhilarating outdoor pursuits to suit all ages and abilities. We promise every visitor that whatever your ability you will have a great time. We also promise that you will have the chance to appreciate and learn from the natural environment. It is equally important that our visitors take away great memories and lessons for life. Adventures for All Our team of experienced instructors are here to challenge and inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone and test yourself. We develop our courses to include adrenalin filled outdoor activities like high ropes courses and zip wires. Our outdoor activities provide plenty of opportunities for our visitors to get wet and muddy, whilst encouraging everyone to grow and develop both personal and social skills. Contact Boundless Outdoors for information about both centres Get in touch to check availability and prices, ask about a bespoke course, confirm dietary requirements, make bookings or send us a review. We would love to hear from you!
Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre, Bruton, Somerset
Welcome to our Outdoor Classroom Mill on the Brue has been receiving school groups since 1982. Our family run centre is situated in a beautiful river valley, with woods and fields. We offer over 40 activities, tasks and games, ranging from team building and challenging outdoor pursuits or just purely fun, many linked to the National Curriculum. Each programme is written in consultation with the Party Leader and the activities are carefully chosen for each group, focussing on the outcomes. Depending on choice there can be as many as six activities a day. Our experienced and qualified instructors will stay with the group for the whole trip which is exceptionally rewarding for both the teachers and the students as they build up a rapport and understanding. Mill on the Brue is open all year for residential or day trips, accommodating up to 124 students; there are three separate buildings on site, we have a large Victorian house which sleeps 40, the Clubhouse 50 and Rivermead 34. All plus teachers’ rooms. There is a fully equipped campsite which is open from May – September sleeping up to 60 + with large canvas tents, which we provide, on wooden floors. There are barns for wet weather, a campfire area, even a solar drying room! Healthy Living has always been key to us and we have found that often the biggest challenge for children is the food not the activities. We grow our own vegetables organically which the children will walk past in the morning and then see on their plate at lunchtime! We encourage the children to understand about food waste by running a Food Waste competition with each child receiving a prize if they attain 0 heroes. Since Mill on the Brue was founded, we have strived to teach children about healthy and sustainable living, caring for the environment and passing on vital life skills.
Based in the heart of Pembrokeshire, it’s an outdoor pursuits paradise!
Exciting outdoor pursuits have been organised at Sealyham Activity Centre since 1986 and offer exhilarating and stimulating experiences for children and adults alike. Our team of qualified and experienced instructors will work with individuals or small groups to guarantee full personal attention. We have set ourselves high standards of outdoor objectives that we strive to meet with all individuals and groups. Outdoor Education is concerned with the personal, social and academic development of young people via the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, concepts and values. In the area of personal development Outdoor Education should: Enable pupils to develop self-confidence, self-reliance, self-control and self- sufficiency. Foster the development of physical skills and of physical resilience. Encourage pupils to exercise initiative and judgement in unfamiliar and challenging situations. Allow pupils to develop an awareness and respect for potential dangers in the natural environment and to act appropriately. Encourage pupils to assess their own capabilities, strengths and limitations and to appreciate those of others. Broaden the range of pupil’s experiences and to develop their ability to work as a member of a team. Encourage pupils to develop planning and organisational skills and provide opportunities for pupils to exercise leadership abilities. Provide opportunities for pupils to experience success. In the area of social development Outdoor Education should: Encourage pupils to communicate and co-operate effectively and to participate in learning as members of a group. Enhance the quality of relationships between pupils, and between staff and pupils. Encourage pupils to share decision making and a sense of collective responsibility for their actions and behaviour. Encourage pupils to have due regard for the feelings, welfare and safety of fellow pupils. Develop an awareness of the need to act with due regard for the interests of other users and of local residents in areas where activities are undertaken. Encourage pupils to be aware of the need for care, conservation and management of the environment. Here, at Sealyham Activity Centre we strive to meet these objectives with all!
Spellbinding, seafaring learning voyages
Ahoy there! Masters, Midshipmen and Mini Cabin Crew! It’s all aboard The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Hartlepool this school year for an exciting range of Discovery Visits and curriculum-linked workshops, designed to engage and immerse students in our seafaring past and in the lives of people who have sailed our ships through the centuries. Discovery Visits are teacher-led visits including all the great activities and exhibitions here. They can be combined with workshops or booked separately. They offer pupils the chance to explore the mighty HMS Trincomalee, the oldest warship still afloat in Europe, along with the busy, recreated 18th century quayside. Groups can discover what life was really like for sailors in the Fighting Ships exhibit and enjoy wonderful fun and games on the Pirate Play Ship. A range of highly engaging, interactive workshops are offered for KS1 and KS2 (35 pupils per workshop maximum). Each covers Mmany different topics are covered within these workshops, and large groups can do multiple workshops throughout their visitand multiple classes can visit at once. Three new workshops have been introduced this year and bespoke sessions can be created for older students. Citizen sailors of World War II the Second World War – KS2 Why did ordinary people choose to join the Royal Navy and what was it like fighting on a ship in the Second World War? Pupils experience the extraordinary, everyday life of a sailor during this time. Exploration and Navigation across the ages – KS2 From the sun navigation of Viking explorers to modern GPS systems, children learn how navigation of the vast oceans of the world has changed through time. Young Nelsons to Star Captains – KS1 & KS2 Pupils are recruited as ship’s boys on board a warship. Can they work their way up to become Ship’s Captain? Or will they be scrubbing decks for ever? A fun, immersive experience. Pirates v The Navy! – KS1 & KS2 How did the Royal Navy handle pirates? Discover their tactics, hear the tall-ish tales of real pirates and learn how to handle a cutlass and flintlock pistol. All Hands on Deck – KS1 & KS2 Live a day in the life of a sailor in this action-packed experience, mixing fun activities with role play on the atmospheric lower deck of HMS Trincomalee. Ship Shape and a Square Meal! KS1 & KS2 Did sailors really eat maggots? What about their five a day? Discover grim details of sailors’ health and wellbeing on board Trincomalee. Discovery Visits are £4.50 per pupil, Workshops are an additional £50 (based on 35) More information at http://nmrn.org.uk/hartlepool
Holiday Club fun at Drumlanrig
Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate is hosting a Holiday Club consisting of a series of exciting outdoor pursuits for children over the summer holidays. Led by the Estate’s Ranger team, Holiday Club activities will include everything from bird box building to wildlife tracking, and will be open to youngsters aged between eight and 16. On Wednesday 10 July, Mammal Mania will see them accompany Rangers on an adventure into the woods to find out more about the wildlife on the Estate. Then, on Wednesday 17 July and Wednesday 24 July, they’ll learn how to track that wildlife using both traditional detection methods and modern technology. On Wednesday 31 July, the budding young Rangers will embark on a minibeast safari, while August will bring a bow and arrow workshop on Wednesday 7 August, followed by a bird box building session on Wednesday 14 August. Richard Clarke, Countryside Ranger at Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate, said: “Our Holiday Club here at Drumlanrig offers something a little different for young people this summer. Not only will the sessions be educational and stimulate their imaginations and creativity, but they will get them out into the great outdoors and keep them active over the school holidays. “Each session has been developed by our Ranger team to allow them to experience various aspects of life on the Estate and to have fun, enjoying activities they might only have seen on the TV screen before.” Each Holiday Club session runs from 10am until 12pm and costs £3 per child. Booking is essential and reservations can be made by calling 01848 331555 or emailing rangerservice@buccleuch.com. Throughout the summer season, kids can also enjoy the Estate’s adventure playground and explore a variety of walking and cycling trails with their families. The Estate offers world-class mountain bike trails through some of Scotland’s finest scenery. These trails are varied and colour-coded to suit every ability from moderate for beginners to advanced routes for those keen to take on a challenge. And guided Castle tours will be offered daily until the end of August, offering fascinating insights into the history, art and architecture of Drumlanrig. Visitors can round off a busy day at the Estate in the Castle Tearoom and refuel with a homemade savoury or sweet treat. Entry to the Estate costs £6.00 for adults, £4.50 for children aged 5-16 years, and under-5s go free. A small additional fee applies to take a Castle Tour and discounts for large group visit are available on request. Alternatively, a season pass offering unlimited entry to the Estate during opening hours and exclusive discounts costs £20 for adults and £35 for families (two adults and three children). Visitor season at Drumlanrig is from 10am – 5pm daily until Monday 30 September. To keep up to date with the latest news at Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate visit www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk or follow @DrumlanrigCastle on Facebook.
Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre, Bruton, Somerset
Welcome to our Outdoor Classroom! Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre has been opening its doors to schools and unaccompanied children since 1982. We have been using the outdoors to help children develop a wide range of skills, including problem solving, communication and resilience. Outdoor learning has a huge range of benefits which has now been widely evidenced, acknowledged and accepted. Situated in beautiful Somerset in a river valley of 25 acres of fields and woods. Goups can stay in our Victorian farmhouse or our reconverted Clubhouse. For May 2020 we are opening a separate building called Rivermead which will sleep 34 students and four staff members. Open all year for residential or day trips, accommodating 120 students, plus a campsite in the summer for 60 with large canvas tents which we provide, on wooden floors. There are barns for wet weather, a campfire area and even a solar drying room. With over 40 activities, tasks and challenges which are all linked to the National Curriculum. Activities range from team building to high excitement, problem solving to purely fun. Each programme is individually written for the group focussing on what the Party Leader would like to concentrate on. We can offer; canoeing, Super Zip Wires, assault courses, archery, rafting, high ropes, grass toboggans, tunnelling to name but a few. Our experienced and qualified instructors stay with the group for the whole trip which is very rewarding for both the teachers and the students. Food is something that we believe is essential at our centre. We grow our own vegetables and fruit organically we try to ensure that there is very little waste and create menus depending on what the season is. If your group have any specific dietary requirements it is not a problem at all. The Catering Team have a wide range of experience cooking for different diets such as specific food allergies, health conditions or religious requirements. None of the food cooked in the kitchen contains nuts. There is a strong environmental emphasis at the centre which holds the Gold Business Sustainable Tourism Award. We encourage children to learn more about the countryside and about caring for the environment, alternative energy and sustainable energy throughout their stay. Coming to Mill on the Brue will help children understand about healthy living and essential life skills. T.01749 812307 www.millonthebrue.co.uk
The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Co Ltd
A traditional steam train, taking passenger on a unique journey to the tip of Lake Windermere. The perfect addition to your Lake District adventure. Established in 1973 The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway is a family run business in the heart of the Lake District. The track which passengers travel upon today was a former Furness Railway branch line, initially used to transport coal and iron ore, bobbins, dye, gunpowder and much more, in and out of the Leven Valley, as well as a booming trade in tourist traffic to visit Windermere by Lake Steamer. The industry and tourist visitors declined and by the late 1960’s the railway was shut. The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Co Ltd was formed to re-open the line and with the help of many volunteers it succeeded and the line re-opened to tourist in May 1973. Today the company are very proud of their lovingly restored and maintained fleet of steam locomotives, which are available to view in the engine shed. Haverthwaite railway is home to a magnificently renovated and working Fairburn Class 4 MT tank engines, along with another under restoration as we speak – the only remaining locos of this type to survive. Different engines are used throughout the season to haul passengers through the tranquil scenery of the Leven Valley. The train heaves it’s passengers up the steeply graded line, leisurely transporting guests to Lakeside Station, where connections are available with Windermere Lake Cruises. Lakeside railway station neighbours the Lakeside pier making it an easy transition from the steam trains to the steam boats. You can also combine the steam train journey with other local attractions in the surrounding area, making it an exciting day to explore the Lake District. These include Windermere Lake Cruises, The World of Beatrix Potter, Lakeland Motor Museum, The Lakes Aquarium, Brockhole, Rydal Mount and Holker Hall. Escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life when you come to the railway, you are transported back in time to a place of nostalgia and calm. The beautiful surroundings at Haverthwaite Station entice guests to stop a while. At the Victorian Station visitors can spend a while in the comfortable and friendly surroundings of the Station Restaurant, serving quality home-cooked refreshments. They use local suppliers whenever possible and have their own speciality, the homemade fruit scone, served with freshly whipped cream and fruit jam. They really are scrumptious! The station is sheltered by British woodland, providing a beautiful canopy filled with wildlife, but also, nestled behind the gift shop is a children’s adventure playground. Adults can relax in the safe, peaceful environment while their children will love to discover the climbing structures, nets, slides and much more! From the playground is a magical short walk, winding through ancient trees, it’s a small climb to the summit but well worth it to experience the glorious vistas of the surrounding area. On a clear day views as far as the ‘Hoad Monument’ a local landmark of the closest town Ulverston can be seen. https://www.lakesiderailway.co.uk