Sunderland children hear first-hand accounts of life in the Falklands War at veterans’ lunch

Children at Washington Academy have been learning about the horrors of war from those involved in active service after hosting a lunch for armed forces veterans including a number who served in the Falklands War.
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As part of the school’s Remembrance Project, children and veterans shared drinks and sandwiches while listening to what life was like during the 1982 conflict and asking questions about their time in the forces.

The students said it was “fascinating to hear about the real-life experiences” and they were “looking forward to meeting up again at future events”.

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Derek Austwick, Headteacher at Washington Academy, said: “Our relationships with our community is an essential part of our school life here at Washington Academy.

"Projects like these give the students the chance to experience events through the eyes of those who have incredible life stories to share and gives them the opportunity to engage with our local community in a way they may not usually do so.

"Our strong partnerships with our community groups allow us to offer academic experiences with real life context to our students, and we know that the benefits go both ways. There’s a lot others can learn from our students too.”

A veteran from the Falklands War shares his experience with students about life during the conflict.A veteran from the Falklands War shares his experience with students about life during the conflict.
A veteran from the Falklands War shares his experience with students about life during the conflict.

Washington Academy’s Remembrance Project has seen students visit World War 1 and World War 2 battlefields, host VE day events and guest speakers, and develop a World War 2 ‘Roll of Honour’ for the academy.

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This was the first event the school has hosted to mark a more recent conflict such as the Falklands War.

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