Barrow Primary School near Bury St Edmunds is paying tribute to the Women’s Land Army for Remembrance Day by welcoming a Suffolk Punch horse and Land Girls to the school.
The Suffolk Women’s Land Army Memorial Trust has been set up to raise awareness of the work the Land Girls did for the war effort which included working with horses, and hosted a day of talks and activities at the school.
Historian, Nicky Reynolds and Volunteer Sue Dring opened the day with an assembly which included a reading of a poem followed by a two minute silence. The children participated in an afternoon of activities including; butter churning, strawberry planning in the Dig for Victory garden, drawing of a horse and trundle, learning about how ladies signed up, writing their thank you cards to the ladies and the work the Land Girls carried out.
Nigel Oakley, former President of the Suffolk Horse Society, was on the ground with Teazle, the Suffolk Punch horse answering all the questions from the students about the breed, his harness and what he was used for on the farm. Huge thank you to John Latham and HAzel Chapman for bringing Teazle along!
Author and Film-maker, Holly Brega co-ordinated the event with teacher Victoria Bush and Rev’d Lynda Sebbage. Holly was on-site signing her new children’s book ‘Chesnut and Daphne’, which tells a true story about one of the jobs a Land Girl carried out during WW2. Illustrator John Thurman, from Lawshall was also at the event, delivering drawing lessons and book signing.
Working together with The Barrow Benefice, there are talks of a local all-inclusive Women’s Land Army family farming day in 2024. To be kept in the loop about this event, please join the mailing list for the Suffolk Women’s Land Army Memorial Trust here: https://www.suffolkwomenslandarmy.com/
Further Details:
Suffolk Women’s Land Army Memorial Trust: https://www.suffolkwomenslandarmy.com/
About: The Suffolk Women's Land Army Memorial Trust seeks to create a permanent and lasting memorial in Suffolk to honour the women who served in the Women's Land Army and Women's Timber Corps in Suffolk during World War Two.
Chesnut and Daphne Children’s Book: https://landgirladventures.com/
Follow a day in the life of ‘Chesnut’ the Suffolk Punch horse and his best friend ‘Daphne’ the Land Girl, as they deliver milk to the local villages during World War Two. Based on a true story.
The Barrow Benefice: https://barrowbenefice.org.uk/
About: Our benefice includes five lovely Suffolk churches, each with its own unique identity, and history that extends beyond 1,000 years! They are lovingly cared for by the people in the parishes who are all committed to keeping the churches in the best possible condition for both now, and for future generations.
The Suffolk Horse Society: https://suffolkhorsesociety.org.uk/
The Suffolk Horse Society, founded in 1877, is the breed society for the Suffolk Horse, popularly known as the Suffolk Punch.