© Firemen Remembered

EDUCATION

Rosebay Willowherb is a plant known for its tenacious habit. In World War II it became known as ‘Fireweed’ growing out of the ashes on bombsites all over Britain. It has been chosen by Firemen Remembered as a fitting symbol of Remembrance for those who died fighting to save our cities from destruction by fire.

Education is very much at the heart of what we do.

Our education programme, based on the lives and work of those who served in the Fire Service and other emergency services, aims to explain some of the problems faced by Londoners and how they adapted and endured in time of crisis.

Members of Firemen Remembered involved in re-enactment visit schools and other organisations with displays of uniform, vehicles and wartime memorabilia. A hands-on approach is encouraged, so that children may develop a feel for the past and compare the way we lived then with how we live now.

Many schools were taken over and used as sub fire stations when war began and in many cases this will provide a starting point for discussion which may be focused on the specific history of a school and its surrounding area.

The ideas of Community and Responsibility, as embodied in the concept of Citizenship, are explored through the experience of Londoners at war. Many schools were damaged by fire or high explosive bombs. When a school has been the site of an incident in which there has been loss of life, children are encouraged to take part in plaque dedication ceremonies, enabling them to consider the idea of Remembrance at first hand and thereafter to adopt the memory of those who died, as part of the history of their school.

Firemen Remembered also provides follow-up material in the form of worksheets that in some cases may be tailored to the circumstances of individual schools and a resource pack for teachers is soon to be published.

For further information please contact info@firemenremembered.co.uk