Alan was reading the Rupert Butler book, An Illustrated History of The Gestapo, a book released to raise funds for the village at a time when its memorial garden was under threat of pollution.

The calamity which befell Lidice on the 10th June 1942, but also its rebuilding, was covered in some detail, and the role Stoke-on-Trent workers and Cllr Barnett Stross played in initiating the Lidice Shall Live campaign to rebuild the village after its obliteration, even after the dreadful Sneyd Colliery disaster of January 1st that year.

“I knew of the Lidice atrocity but not of the link with our city; I felt betrayed that such a proud episode in the city’s heritage could’ve been kept from me and tens of thousands (maybe more) of Stoke-on-Trent born children all this time. Just like Cllr Barnett Stross and the workers of Stoke-on-Trent decided to do something about Hitler’s decree that Lidice Should Die Forever, Cheryl and I decided that we should go out into every school to teach every child in Stoke-on-Trent the story of Lidice. We’ve been in to many, but there’s 100 schools and it hasn’t quite worked out like that for a number of reasons, but it remains a solid objective.”

When the emotional ties between Stoke-on-Trent and Lidice were originally rediscovered Alan and Cheryl immediately contacted the Mayoral office in Lidice, the Lidice Memorial and began to research the Lidice Shall Live campaign and its leaders. Much of the research on Barnett Stross was included in the Lidice Memorial’s dedicated exhibition celebrating his life which opened on the 11th November 2010. The Sentinel newspaper followed Alan and Cheryl on their first formal visit to Lidice in November 2010 in order to produce a film and an article to capture the events. This first visit saw them open the Sir Barnett Stross exhibition in the memoriam room of the gardens, donate an original painting to the famous Lidice Collection, visit Kladno and the gymnasium where the women and children were held captive, visit the mining museum in Kladno, visit the wonderful school at Bustehrad (here we presented the Director with a gift of friendship from the children of Abbey Hill School and Performing Arts College), as well as meetings with survivors, the Mayor of Lidice and the Director of the Lidice Memorial.

Alan and Cheryl pictured in the middle

SO FAR…

Over the past 3 years Alan and Cheryl have worked tirelessly to maintain these new found links with many events in Stoke and Lidice.

Commemorative Event 2011 (Stoke-on-Trent)

Friday 10th June 2011 saw Fenton’s Albert Square playing host to the first commemorative gathering in Stoke-on-Trent to remember the people of Lidice. The gathering featured poetry written and read by children from Blurton and Christ Church Primary Schools along with separate performances from the City Songbirds. (see video below) The Stoke-on-Trent Methodist singers and the Choir of Abbey Hill School and Performing Arts College. Poet Alan Barrett also led the children of  Blurton Primary and Christchurch Primary in poetry performances. Overall, the gathering was a huge success with over 400 children and adults learning about the story for the first time.

69th Commemorative Event (Lidice) 11th June 2011

The heavily attended main commemorative event, held in Lidice. Here the placing of wreaths by foreign envoys, dignitaries and ambassadors takes place around the mass grave of the 173 executed men. 83 ambassadors from nations across the globe paid their respects. For the first time there was a delegation from Stoke-on-Trent; the “People’s Wreath”, arranged and organised by Alan and Cheryl and co-sponsored by them and the YMCA, was laid on behalf of the people of Stoke-on-Trent.

70th Commemorative Event (Lidice) 10th June 2012

A major international televised event attended by 150+ foreign envoys, dignitaries and ambassadors, all paying respects with wreaths around the mass grave of the 173 executed men. This year, in addition to the “People’s Wreath”, in the spirit of the original Lidice Shall Live campaign Theartbay Gallery arranged for a Memorial Book, containing messages of friendship from Stoke-on-Trent organisations and residents (young and old) to be laid on the grave. Again, both wreath and book were organised by Theartbay and co-sponsored by them and the YMCA, and both were laid on behalf of the people of Stoke-on-Trent. The book took pride of place in the cabinet of the Mayoral parlour.

School Links

Since the first visit Alan and Cheryl have enouraged several relationships between Stoke-on-Trent schools and the school in Bustehrad, which serves the children of Lidice. Now youngsters in Stoke-on-Trent are gaining inspiration from an appreciation of the esteem in which this city is held as well as finding out about a culturally rich and diverse nation. This includes traditional exchanges of emails, letters, materials: currency, magazines, sweets/chocolates, music, videos etc, the development of a monthly online magazine which both Bustehrad and Stoke-on-Trent children participate in (in English), and a large poster by the children of Bustehrad school describing the area of Lidice and its surroundings – which has been circulated among Stoke-on-Trent schools.

Free Presentation for Schools

In 2011 they produced a slideshow teaching resource called “Lidice & Stoke-on-Trent for Schools”, free to download to all schools. This explains the story in two parts: the tragedy and the successful campaign to rebuild the village. It then describes how children can celebrate the rebirth of the village and the Lidice Shall Live campaign by entering the UK Children’s Fine Art Competition.

 

Visit by children of Bustehrad School to Stoke-on-Trent Schools

In June 2012 children and teachers from Bustehrad School visited Stoke-on-Trent. Alan and Cheryl worked alongside Stoke-on-Trent City Council on an itinerary for them, ensuring that they fully engaged with the local community. This involved the Czech children working on activities with their new potteries’ friends in association with Staffordshire University and traditional music and dance performances at local schools to many parents and other guests. For the children of Stoke-on-Trent, in particular, it was wonderful to experience a new exciting culture and one which, through the Lidice Shall Live movement, they can embrace as their own.

The UK Children’s Fine Art Competition

In 2010 Alan and Cheryl inaugurated the first UKCFAC, endorsed by The Department for Education. This is a celebration of the rebirth of the village of Lidice and an exciting, highly rewarding and all inclusive international fine art competition. It’s supporters include Nick Hancock, Ken Loach, Gerald Scarfe, Nick Parkes and Kerry Darlington. It raises the aspirations of children and endows them with the best of values and principles. While it can be celebrated as an amazing art competition in itself, The UKCFAC also provides significant cross-curricular learning opportunities in History, Geography, Citizenship, Religious Studies (as well as Art) in order to achieve the following objectives:

• Increase numbers of young people engaging in art.
• Raise standards in art among young people.
• Inspire young people and raise their aspirations
• Celebrate the achievements of ordinary people in helping to rebuild the village of Lidice
• Raise young people’s awareness of industrial heritage
• Raise awareness and understanding of other cultures and nations
• Encourage friendship and empathy between young people of different nationalities.

The UK Children’s Fine Art Competition (UKCFAC) is a contributor to the Lidice Gallery’s International Children’s Exhibition of Fine Art (ICEFA). The Lidice Gallery was established in the 1960s with the help of Stoke-on-Trent MP Sir Barnett Stross. Submissions to the UKCFAC are automatically shipped, free of charge, to the ICEFA.

 

- 2010 / 2011 UKCFAC – February 2011 – 400 pieces of artwork

Mostly produced by Stoke-on-Trent’s youngsters on the theme “This is Me. This is Where I Live”. After a day of judging and a prize giving ceremony at The Victoria Hall all pieces were sent off to the ICEFA. 10 of these artistic youngsters were recognised for their creative talent out of 25,000 people. It was the first time ever the ICEFA, then in its 39th year, had received any entries from Stoke-on-Trent (and any substantive entries from the UK). This was followed up in November when The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, The Deputy Czech Ambassador and assorted guests participated in the prize giving ceremony for the UK winners of the International Children’s Exhibition of Fine Arts (ICEFA).

 

- 2011 / 2012 UKCFAC February 2012 – 600 pieces of artwork

Judging The 2011 / 2012 UKCFAC took place at Staffordshire University with nationally recognised judges: Frederick Phillips, Peter Smith, Rob Pointon, Julie Winwood, Julie Newbold, Susan Law-Webb and Harry Davies. The children had clearly gone to great lengths to ensure that it was a thoroughly enjoyable but a very difficult task. Prizes were awarded across counties at Primary, Secondary and Special school level, culminating in a national award for each level and an award for best overall school contribution. Children had entered artworks appropriate to the theme: “The Theatre, The Puppet, The Fairytale”.

 

 - 2012 / 2013 UKCFAC January 2013 – 800 pieces of artwork

Judging The 2012 /2013 UKCFAC took place at the SKYROOM of the North Staffordshire YMCA. Over 800 high quality works of art were assessed on the theme on Heritage and Traditions of My Country’s People by nationally recognised judges: Peter Smith, Julie Winwood, Harry Davies, Kerry Darlington, Emma Joustra, Sid Kirkham and Tiffany Budd. And they had a tough task deciding on prize-winners, the children had clearly gone to great lengths to produce some beautiful artworks. Prizes were awarded across counties at Primary, Secondary and Special school level, culminating in a national award for each level and an award for best overall school contribution. This year saw an increased number of international submissions and a special prize awarded to the best pieces received from our friends across the globe. Find out more about the art competition here http://www.ukchildrensartcompetition.org.uk

Since September 2010 Theartbay has presented the story of Lidice and Stoke-on-Trent to schools across the region. The following list are some of the schools which received presentations and their children have entered the art competition (see below): The Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, Ball Green Primary, Heron Cross Primary, Blurton Primary, Glebe Primary, Christchurch Primary, Our Lady’s Primary, Springcroft Primary, Newstead Primary, Sutherland Primary, Sandford Hill Primary, Ash Green Primary, Stoke Minster, Abbey Hill Special School and Performing Arts College, Harpfields Primary, Northwood Community

Alan and Cheryl continue to spread the story around Stoke on Trent, Lidice and beyond. UNEARTHED aims follow in their footsteps in the coming months and to help them fulfil their aim of telling the story to everyone in Stoke on Trent, particularly to the next generation of Stoke residents. 

To find out more about Alan and Cheryl’s work or get involved in the UK Children’s Art Competition you can contact them via the links below.

e-mail: [email protected]
web: www.ukchildrensartcompetition.org.uk

UPDATE

This summer Alan and Cheryl have received the Commemorative Badge of Honour in Lidice for their work in promoting the story in the UK and restoring the links between Lidice and Stoke-on-Trent. Many Congratulations to them both. Here is the moment they received their badges.