Marking Remembrance Day through creativity at HMP Stoke Heath and HMP Durham

At Novus, creative and collaborative projects give our learners opportunities to develop skills, share ideas and contribute to something beyond the classroom. By connecting learning with shared moments of reflection, these activities encourage teamwork and a sense of belonging.

This November, remembrance projects at HMP Stoke Heath and HMP Durham have brought these themes together, giving our learners meaningful ways to learn, connect and commemorate.

Connecting with the community at HMP Stoke Heath

At HMP Stoke Heath, learners have been taking part in the Royal British Legion Poppy Project to mark Remembrance Day. Their poppy-making brings creativity and community involvement together, giving learners a way to contribute to the commemorations.

Through the Poppy Project, our learners have been creating poppies to commemorate service and contribute to a wider act of remembrance. This has offered them an opportunity to reflect together on the experiences of those affected by conflict, while contributing to displays and fundraising that connect the prison with the local community and support the Royal British Legion.

Learners at Stoke Heath have also taken part in the University of Lancashire’s Create and Connect project, which explores how creativity can strengthen relationships and build community. The remembrance activities share this emphasis. Both offer opportunities to work together, develop a sense of belonging and contribute beyond the classroom, with poppy-making providing a focus for reflection and commemoration.

Led by one of the prison’s mentors, the poppy project was designed to run from the summer through to this November’s remembrance commemorations. Alongside the artwork, the programme included reading wartime poetry, writing poems about remembrance, talks from the Royal British Legion and veterans, and exploring the role animals have played in the war.

Working alongside the local community

Community involvement was central to the project, building on the prison’s links with local people and the Royal British Legion. Local Scouts also helped to complete a commission of 200 poppies for display by the local council. Funds raised from poppies sold on site will go directly to the Royal British Legion charity.

By contributing to local remembrance activities, learners had the opportunity to connect with others and feel part of the wider community. Working together gave them a shared purpose as they took time to remember those affected by conflict and reflect on the importance of Remembrance Day.

Bringing remembrance into the classroom at HMP Durham

At HMP Durham, our learners have been working together across the curriculum to create a commemorative display for Remembrance Day this November. The project brought together vocational and academic learning to reflect the significance of the occasion.

The multi-skills learners have designed and crafted a wooden book as the centrepiece, showcasing Remembrance-themed artwork from across our curriculum. In English, learners researched, wrote and refined a poem inspired by the experiences and sacrifices of those affected by conflict, reflecting on courage, loss and remembrance.

In the digital skills classes, learners have created posters and PowerPoint presentations combining historical information, imagery and personal reflections to communicate the importance of Remembrance Day. In Maths, learners used diary entries written by soldiers during the First World War to explore the emotional impact of war through living graphs. By analysing key events and plotting changes in emotions over time, they developed their mathematical understanding alongside their appreciation of the experiences of those who served.

Through this collaborative project, our learners have developed vocational and academic skills while contributing to a commemorative display. Their work highlights creativity, teamwork and dedication, while encouraging reflection on the sacrifices of service personnel past and present and helping to keep their stories remembered and respected.

At Novus, we support our learners to develop skills, build connections and contribute beyond the classroom through creative and collaborative projects like these. By bringing Remembrance Day into our learning activities, we give learners opportunities to reflect on the experiences and sacrifices of those affected by conflict and understand why remembrance remains important.

Explore our news section for more stories about how we support our learners through education, creativity and community projects.