Kids bridging the gap
Kids bridging the gap
A novel arts project is helping forge new friendships and bridge the divide between town and country kids, as Tim Relf discovers
MORE than 50,000 primary school children from over 200 schools have taken part in Kids Care For the Countryside – Be My Friend, Draw a Picture.
The initiative has brought together youngsters from foot-and-mouth affected areas and those in London in a bid to foster understanding and help country kids cope with the suffering and isolation the epidemic has brought.
The project, organised for the Countryside Alliance, "twinned" urban and rural children, encouraging them to swap pictures, letters and e-mails – many of which were on show at an exhibition in London last week.
According to project director Alma Taft, its helped take the youngsters minds off the farming crisis. "Many of these children have witnessed terrible sights – the frightening spectacle of their own farm animals and neighbours livestock being rounded up, shot, then piled on pyres, and experienced the overwhelming stench and smoke as they burned," she says.
"They have also watched the great distress and depression of their parents. And, for many weeks, a large number of these children have had to live isolated lives on their farms away from their classrooms and friends in case they inadvertently spread this terrible plague. When they do return to school they are very often anguished and emotionally drained."
Country kids comments:
"Dear God, Please make the burning smell go away. It is sad to see the sheep and cows on TV with their legs in the air. It smells like disinfectant everywhere."
"Dear Friend, I have wrote this letter to tell you about the country… From our classroom we can see the blue waves and the golden shimmery sand. In the country there is cows and sheep. Is there green fields in the city to. I dream about London as a smokey city with beggars and cats roaming alley ways. Who is right? Please right back."
"Dear Friends, Do you see much of sheep? We have got a field with baby lambs in. A nice lady lets us feed the lambs. What part of London is best. I love it here in Cumbria because I live next to the school but some how I am always late for school. I can see the sea from my class window. Do you have sheep?"