"The Unremembered" Project

[The Scorer]

I have been sent this message from The Big Ideas Company.

 

I think that they're connected with the official Centenary Commemorations in some way, but I'm not sure how. Does anyone know anything about this, please?

 

Join us as we embark on a new project of remembrance for 2017, The Unremembered: World War One's Army of Workers, which commemorates the Labour Corps. The war effort fundamentally depended on the Labour Corps, but today they are all but forgotten. They served and suffered. They often faced discrimination. They came from afar and many died. They are The Unremembered. The Unremembered is an inclusive and thought-provoking programme inviting communities and schools to remember the courageous sacrifices of the Labour Corps funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The project launches this Friday, with a focus on the story of the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC) and the tragedy of the SS Mendi. One hundred years ago a troop ship carrying men from Cape Town to France sank off the Isle of Wight. More than 600 men of the SANLC died. The launch is the start of a campaign to tell the stories of hundreds of thousands of workers from Canada, the Caribbean, Kenya and China, Egypt and India, South Africa and Nigeria, the British Isles, the Cook Islands and more. This is a global story. We will be releasing more information every month and we need your help to spread the word.   Community funding will be available from April.   Get involved in The Unremembered:   Launch and the SS Mendi Centenary The Unremembered is launching this Friday with a unique event at the steps of the Portsmouth Guildhall. St John's Catholic Cathedral Primary School, Chichester Community Choir, and a group of singers from South African Diaspora UK will remember the men that died on the SS Mendi and sing Lizalis idinga lakho which was sung by the men sang as the ship went down. Join us in Portsmouth at noon.   Resource pack for local communities and schools On Friday we are launching a new, free resource pack for communities and schools to find out about the history of the different Labour Corps and get ideas on local stories and Unremembered activities. Get in touch to request a pack: theunremembered@bigideascompany.org.   Join our Facebook group Share your stories with us and other community groups in our special Unremembered Facebook group, and receive our monthly releases about Labour Corps from different countries around the world.   Copyright © 2017 Big Ideas Company, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Big Ideas Company Boyce's Building Regent Street Clifton, Bristol BS8 4HU United Kingdom

Edited 16 February , 2017 by The Scorer

[Phil Wood]

I know nothing!  But I have requested the resource pack - I'll reserve judgement until I've seen it!

 

Phil

[The Scorer]

I've now received the March newsletter, and this is here:

 

Welcome to the March newsletter, our monthly update with news and resources to Discover and Remember the global story of the Labour Corps. We're looking to April, when we will put a spotlight on the Chinese Labour Corps. With Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day) on 4 April, we will head to Liverpool for a series of activities remembering the Labour Corps men who came from China to support the war effort. More information will be released soon. > Get in touch if you're based in Liverpool and would like to get involved.   Download our unique script that tells the story of the South African Native Labour Corps and the SS Mendi. Using quotes from the time, the script gives an introduction to who the SANLC were and what happened on 17 February 1917. You can use the script with one narrator or two, and one reader or six, in the classroom, at an event or at your next meeting. > Download the script > Download accompanying powerpoint   Watch a short video filmed at our launch event in Portsmouth on Friday 17 February, with local schools and groups holding up the names of the men that died on the SS Mendi and singing Lizalise idinga lakho. > Watch video   Join The Unremembered Facebook Group to share your Labour Corps findings, receive tips from other members, and get updates and new materials from The Unremembered project.   Would you like to sing a song to remember the Labour Corps? Watch our video of singers from South African Diaspora UK teach the Xhosa song Lizalis idingo lakho to Chichester Community Choir, commemorating 100 years since the SS Mendi. Song sheets are available in our resource pack. To get your free pack email: theunremembered@bigideascompany.org.     Applications for small-scale funding to undertake Unremembered activities will open in April. Find out more about the activities you can do to remember the Labour Corps in our free pack, available by request via theunremembered@bigideascompany.org.     The Unremembered is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government. With thanks to the South African High Commission for inviting us to launch with them.