To celebrate World Book Day this week, the conservator of Westminster City Archives, Georgia Vossou, visited the school and ran the ALL ABOUT PAPER project with the children as well as attending the parents’ coffee morning.
The project was inspired by the Westminster City Archives’ paper collections and is aimed at disseminating the fascinating history of paper, its diverse uses and teaching pupils how to protect their books.
Georgia, with the help of volunteers, carried out enjoyable sessions for Years 1-5. Children grasped the concept of the work in an archive and the importance of retaining historic material and preserving it for future generations.
Delving in deeper, Georgia led discussions on her favourite topic – paper! She talked about where paper originated, how paper is used in our everyday lives and the importance of recycling. It was great fun to hear all the different examples the children thought up for where paper is included in our lives today ‑ from toilet paper and tissue to ten pound notes! Rounding off the talk, Georgia shared advice on how children can preserve their own books at school, home and their local libraries, a message they were keen to spread to their friends and family. Following the workshop, all classes had art activities related to paper.
The parents’ coffee morning was equally successful, with a group of enthusiastic parents keen to learn more about the history of paper and how to look after their own personal papers. Afterwards, they took part in an art session, creating their own notebooks.
Thank you Georgia for coming to visit us.