School Children Create a Unique Time Traveller's Guide to An
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School Children Create a Unique Time Traveller’s Guide to an Historical City Families will soon have a new and exciting way to explore historic Norwich, thanks to an innovative walking trail created by twelve school children from Lakenham Primary School. The trail is set to launch for the summer holidays on 20 th July 2012. The students, aged 7-9, have named the project The Norwich 12 Histories and Mysteries but the trail has been given an even more exciting slant as The Secret 12’s Time Traveller’s Trail. The children have even developed a time travelling character, Professor O, who allegedly took them on their historical journey and will help other children follow the trail. The project has been designed and delivered by local heritage organisation LivingNorwich, supported and managed by staff at the Norwich Castle Museum and made possible through the funding support of the Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust’s (HEART) SHAPING 24 project. Roxanne Matthews, Director of LivingNorwich and Project facilitator said “This has been an amazing opportunity to see Norwich through the eyes of young people. Encouraging the children to lead the way has proved an extremely effective way to get them engaged in heritage and we hope it will help other children do the same!” She continued: “The kids have managed everything from design to content, layout, editing and promotion. They have been fantastic - I’m so impressed with what they have achieved and the introduction of time travelling was a stroke of genius!” The project was inspired by a collection of 12 iconic buildings in Norwich initially grouped together by HEART to represent one thousand years of the city’s urban development history. Teacher Henrietta Harben said “The children have been to all 12 buildings and chosen their favourite feature at each. They have taken the rest of the school around the trail and now want others to take up the challenge.” Rachel Barrett, SHAPING 24 Project Officer at Norwich HEART said: “We are really delighted to have funded this innovative learning project, particularly as this is the first child-friendly trail of the Norwich 12. The summer holidays are a great time for people to try it out and we hope that families will enjoy following the trail, having fun as they learn more about some of the most iconic buildings in the country.” The free trail can be found at most of the Norwich 12 buildings and the Norwich Tourist Information Centre from 20 th July 2012. Or you can download the trail from www.livingnorwich.co.uk/the-secret-12s-trail/ or from here. SHAPING 24 is being led by HEART with Ghent City Council as the partner organisation. The project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund from the European Union’s INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013. Notes to editors For media enquiries please contact Roxanne Matthews on 01603 446 507/ 07790 032 516. About Norwich Castle Norwich Castle is one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Built by the Normans as a Royal Palace 900 years ago it is now a museum and art gallery. The Castle is home to some of the most outstanding collections of fine art, archaeology and natural history and promotes innovative learning and engagement of their buildings and collections. About LivingNorwich LivingNorwich aims to bring city heritage alive through innovative events, workshops and projects. We offer evening heritage events, family tours, school workshops, and community projects. We’re also developing a digital collection of places and stories chosen by local people to represent their city. About Norwich 12 Norwich 12 is the UK’s finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings spanning the Norman, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras, offering walks and tours; visitor attractions; exhibitions; music and performances; cafes and restaurants; and gift shops. It is a pioneering heritage concept developing 12 of the city’s iconic buildings into an integrated family of heritage attractions which will act as an internationally important showcase of English urban and cultural development over the last 1,000 years. Norwich 12 comprises: Norwich Castle, Norwich Cathedral, The Great Hospital, The Halls – St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’, The Guildhall, Dragon Hall, The Assembly House, St James Mill, St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Surrey House, City Hall and The Forum. Norwich 12 is an initiative by Norwich HEART, which secured £1 million from the Treasury’s Invest to Save Budget for the project to initially run 2006-9. The ERDF funding allows this initiative to be developed until 2011. www.norwich12.co.uk About SHAPING 24 SHAPING 24 – Strategies for Heritage Access Pathways in Norwich and Ghent – is a new cultural tourism initiative that will link together the 12 heritage sites in Norwich that make up Norwich 12, with 12 heritage sites in Ghent. The project seeks to promote and support the 24 sites, raise the profile of Norwich and Ghent as significant cultural heritage cities and increase awareness of the longstanding historical links between this part of England and the Low Countries. By working together, the two cities will benefit from the experiences and professional expertise in both cities, and will be able to apply innovative approaches to the challenges facing historic cities. SHAPING 24 is being led by HEART with Ghent City Council as the partner organisation. The project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund from the European Union’s INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013. The total value of SHAPING 24 is €4.5m, of which Norwich’s share is €2.3m, which includes match funding from a variety of organisations. www.shaping24.eu About Norwich HEART Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is a private, charitable trust set up to act as an umbrella organisation for all of the heritage on offer in Norwich. We strategically plan, regenerate, manage and promote Norwich’s heritage and act as a best practice model internationally for developing heritage as a social and economic regeneration vehicle. HEART receives core funding from Norwich City Council and further project funding from a variety of sources which has to date included the European Union, HM Treasury, the East of England Development Agency and Norfolk County Council. Norwich 12 and SHAPING 24 are initiatives by HEART. www.heritagecity.org .