Last Post project now complete!

In October we announced that our two new Last Post: Remembering the First World War education packs were available.  The completion of the accompanying outreach sessions now marks the end of the HLF-funded project begun in 2006.

The Last Post Project

In 2006 we received a £48,100 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Last Post project.

As well as the education packs, the project also involved:

• a series of outreach sessions
• Conservation workshops
• Lectures on:
  
• Women Workers in the Post Office 1914-1939
• War Heroes of the Post Office
• The Post Office during the First World War
  

Education packs

The education packs were launched at an event at The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms (CMCWR) on 13 November 2007.  The packs are supported by web resources which include PDF downloads of the primary and secondary packs.  They also provide extra information, activities, soldiers' stories and images to supplement the pack.

The BPMA has worked on the project in collaboration with the City of Westminster Archive Centre who have provided vital information and material. The packs tell the story of how a major national institution such as the Post Office supported the British War effort both at home and abroad. The BPMA holds around 3,000 files of original paper work from the period and these packs help this come alive.

Packs’ content

The packs explore the role of the Post Office Rifles and Westminster Rifles and key individuals who fought in these batallions. There is a strong emphasis on original wartime correspondence and censorship where children can learn about literacy and empathy.

The packs also touch on the role of women on the Home Front who sorted and delivered the mail while the majority of Post Office workers were at war. The education packs link to the national curriculum through citizenship, literacy and history.

The project has been a great success and feedback on the packs from teachers and pupils alike has been extremely positive.

Outreach sessions

The outreach sessions worked with worked with primary and secondary school children as well as some parent groups.  The sessions involved poetry, creative writing and role play.  They also introduced participants to certain key figures from the packs.

A new exhibition

The next phase is to produce an exhibition using research and material already acquired for the education packs. This exhibition will open at the CMCWR in November 2008. The CMCWR will be working with us in planning the content of the exhibition and will provide some original material to  include examples of Winston Churchill’s wartime correspondence.

The exhibition will then go on to tour to around 15 regimental and military museums, archives and art galleries across the country. More information will be available nearer the time.

If you would like to know more about the project or would like a hard copy of either education pack please contact us at info@postalheritage.org.uk or  020 7239 2570.  Remember that you can also browse the Last Post web resources.  These offer the opportunity to download both packs for free, in full or by section.  They also provide extra information, activities, soldiers' stories and images to supplement the pack.

Latest News