Great War Peace Fields Project

Kent schools are invited to twin their designated areas of play with the Flanders Peace Field in a project with the National Children's Football Alliance (NCFA).

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund the Peace Fields Project (PFP) provides 5 hub schools with trips to Maidstone Museum, Greenwich University and workshops delivered by project partners Kent County Council Libraries, Registration & Archives along with the NCFA. The PFP provides Kent schools with 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 Truce) the Peace Field Project (PFP) invites schools not only to commemorate World War One but also to celebrate peace through reflecting on a moment in history that inspires humanitarianism.

50 Link Schools (schools in the communities of the hub school) are invited to sign a PFP Declaration, pledging to hold a games event once a year throughout the centenary years on their peace field to commemorate WW1 and to take part in their hub School's Peace Day Celebration.

50 network schools will also take part in the three key steps outlined below.

The PFP lends itself to cross curricular participation (sports, history, literacy, arts, humanities and citizenship), community cohesion and intergenerational
relationships. The project culminates in an exhibition of the hub schools and link schools work as part of a Peace Day Celebration hosted by the hub school. The Project starts 2015 / 2016. PFP is expected to be a high profiled project which lends itself to community cohesion and promoting social inclusion.

3 Key Steps

Declaration

• Pledge to hold a sports or FWW themed event on the school's designated playing field once a year to commemorate WW1 and celebrate peace. As a result a signed declaration between the school and the Director of the Peace Village will be displayed online and on the school's premises.
• Hold a community ceremony to name the designated area of play, the Peace Field Project. Pledge to uphold the spirit of the Christmas Truce through sportsmanship and social inclusion.
• Provide access to all members of the school and community at the events.

Schools apply (FREE) online by submitting:

• a picture of the school and a picture of the designated play area
• nominated school ambassadors for the project (one girl, one boy)
• a short video message or letter explaining why the school feels it is important to commemorate WW1 and
  celebrate peace through cross curricular activities and 
  learning about the 1914 Christmas Truce

Aim

The aim of the PFP 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.

More information and contact details

Background information about this project can be found at on the National Children's Football Alliance website and you can download an information flyer here  (PDF, 797.4 KB)

For more information please visit the National Children's Football Alliance website or contact Ernie Brennan / Paul Cooper
National Children's Football Alliance, 26 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4AE.
Telephone: 07813 082584 / 07875 283093 or 01732 758419
Email: erniebrennan@thecfa.co.uk