Birmingham hosts national launch of RAF centenary commemorations
National charity Never Such Innocence, has chosen Birmingham as the base for the launch of its fourth and final competition to engage children aged between nine and 16 in the First World War centenary commemorations.
The 2017/18 Never Such Innocence competition is being supported by The Royal British Legion, the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund, and RAF100.
Today’s launch is one of the first events in the build up to the RAF’s Centenary next year. In it, Never Such Innocence and RAF100 will encourage children to imagine what it was like to fight the war in the skies.
It also sees the first opportunity for children to engage with Never Such Innocence’s 2017/18 partner The Royal British Legion on their ‘Thank You’ campaign.
In partnership with The Royal British Legion, Never Such Innocence is encouraging young people to pay tribute to the generation of the First World War. Children are being invited to submit poetry, art and songs inspired by the events of the Great War.
More than 160 children from seven schools across Birmingham will be attending the event. The children will have the opportunity to recite poetry they have written or perform songs they have written during workshops with Marty Longstaff, of The Lake Poets, and musician, Beth Zienna, as part of Songs of the Centenary (SOTC).
SOTC is partnered with Dave Stewart Entertainment and supported by IVE, through its Arts Council ‘bridge’ role, to engage children with the centenary commemorations through song. An online platform, powered by the app Trackd, offers a secure environment for young people to create music and collaborate with others across the British Isles, and the world.
In addition to the poetry, art and songs being performed and displayed at the event, speakers and invited guests will include; Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Anne Underwood; Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief of the Air Staff; Imam Asim Hafiz, Islamic Religious Advisor to the Ministry of Defence, Major Naveed Muhammad, and Stella Manzie, interim chief executive of Birmingham City Council.
A representative of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will also be attending the event to highlight local sites of significance. Jono Hart from Dave Stewart Entertainment and Russell Sheffield from Trackd will talk about Songs of the Centenary.
Lady Lucy French, founder of Never Such Innocence and great-granddaughter of Field Marshal Sir John French, said: “It has been an extraordinary three years and I am delighted to be in Birmingham to launch our fourth and final competition. We aim to engage and inspire more children in our competition than ever before as we look to the end of the centenary.”
The Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Stephen Hillier said: “I am delighted that we have partnered with Never Such Innocence. Through this competition, we can ensure that our children are educated in the events of the First World War. I am looking forward to the roadshow which will be hosted at RAF Stations across the United Kingdom. This is one of many initiatives as part of RAF100, which will help make our centenary a special year.”
