Stevenage Students to experience WWI at Knebworth House

More than 1200 students from secondary schools in Stevenage will visit Knebworth House on 15/16/17th September. Students from Barnwell School, The Barclay School, The John Henry Newman School, Marriotts School, The Nobel School, and Thomas Alleyn Academy are to attend the WWI experience, which is organised by a partnership of Knebworth House, Stevenage Educational Trust and Stevenage Museum.

Actor-interpreters from the National Army Museum will bring the sessions to life. The Drill Sergeant Major is to welcome children from the coaches.

Students will learn about the role of animals in the war and understand the vital contribution that animals made at the front.

A Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse will explain to the children about her hospital work. This was a voluntary organisation founded in 1909. Pamela, Countess of Lytton set up a Hospital for Soldiers in London staffed by VAD nurses.

There is also a film by Herts at War and an exhibition about WW1 and its impact on the East of England region. Staff from Stevenage Museum are bringing some interesting original documents and personal letters from soldiers for the children to read.

On departure, students will be given a souvenir information pack about wartime Stevenage and Lady Lytton’s Hospital for Soldiers.

The event will launch a WW1 writing initiative in Stevenage secondary schools that will continue until December 2014.

For more information visit http://www.knebworthhouse.com/