Lynk Ray has a wide range of experience in managing arts projects with an emphasis on arts in education, publishing and events management.

We have recently completed an Arts Residency at Northwood Primary School, Cowes, Isle of Wight.

A team of poets, artists and musicians including Linton Lee Bennett, Ousmane Mane, Dan Cockerill, Seneke Sillah, Usha Bahl Bismark Anobah and Fahro Malik went to the school on Tuesday 28th March 2006 for two days. They led workshops with teams of children from the school during the morning and then rehearsed during the afternoon for an evening performance of their work. We enjoyed our work with the children and it seems they liked us as well!!

Tthe following comments that we have received from the school show what they felt about our visit.

 

The Headteacher Vicki Johnson had this to say:

"The younger children are now involved in a day of activities around
world cultures; making traditional dress, cooking dhal batt,decorating their hands with bindis and making masks so they wont have time for a formal written comment. However I have received so many verbal responses from parents and children, the best of which came from a family who wrote thank you letters including the following quote:

' When Christopher was a peacock in the hall he said he had to try
very hard not to cry because he was so happy!'

Another parent said that the children had told them so much that they felt as if they'd been here themselves!

This is what the children had to say:

'I really loved dancing with Bismark and it made me feel proud'

'Singing with Linton made my voice feel good.'

'Poetry is a fantastic job. In the future I will do it.'

'The drumming was very amusing. We enjoyed the games a lot.'

'Everyone should do this! It should be passed on to other children.'

'When I grow up I want to dance like Bismark.'

'Playing the drums made me happy inside.'

'The big puppets were brilliant. I only thought you could have small
ones.'

'The poetry was the best thing that happened to me. After I did it I was
extremely proud.'

'It was like a dream. I thought I would never have a chance to do
Gumboot dancing in front of my mother and father with Bismark. It was an
experience of a lifetime.'

'Bismark, Linton, Ousman and Dan were really good and Seneke was really
good at drumming.'

These quotes were taken from the children in Year 4's writing immediately after the event.

The children were made to feel part of the team and we especially appreciated the way artists engaged with them in breaks and at lunch, always treating them with respect.

There has been an immediate and huge impact on the children who have, many for the first time, got to know a little bit about other cultures at first hand. The shared assembly at the start of the two days was an excellent introduction to what was to come. We have really appreciated the positive energy and enthusiasm that children and artists [and teachers] shared. Dan was the biggest surprise! The children learnt a great deal through his sensitive and creative work and we thought the end results were very moving. Fahro was right. You all brought a little bit of colour to our island and the result is an experience that these children will remember for a very long time.

I felt as though I'd lost my family when you all left!...

You can get more information on the school by clicking on the following link. Remember to use your browser 'back' button to return to our site

Click on this sentence to find out more about Northwood Primary School

Lynk Ray publishing division produces books containing the creative writing of children and their parents. The aim is to bring pupils, parents, and teachers together to promote thoughtful creative writing, the concept of team work and cultural diversity within communities.

Publications include:

  • A Chair in my Heart for you to sit on - A community links poetry project compiled by Dan Cockrill, Nick Makoha and Fahro Malik
  • "All Write?" Poems from the Eastside - an anthology compiled by Gemma Chadwick and Daniel Cockrill
  • My Voice is Like... - A compilation from Calverton, Scott Wilkie and Star Primary Schools
  • Our Site Our Stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Films include:

  • Citizenship Week 2006

  • Assessment for Learning

  • Our Shout Too! (Newham Arts Festival)

  • My Voice is Like... - A compilation from Calverton, Scott Wilkie and Star Primary Schools