Medway Council is encouraging children across Medway to write poems, stories, create drawings and paintings, videos or even music sharing their experiences during this most unusual time.
The children’s creations will be used in a project which will capture life in lockdown and create COVID-19 memories for Medway and will also be stored for future generations by our Medway Archives Centre.
Medway Council will find different ways to display children’s entries for residents to view at a later time as well as sharing some of their creations on social media. Parents and carers are asked to send their children’s creations to medway.matters@medway.gov.uk. By sending a submission you confirm that you are happy for Medway Council to use it across any of its social media and digital channels and print media. Do let us know if you are happy to share your children’s names and ages otherwise they will be anonymised.
Parents and carers can also get involved by sharing their children’s creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic on social media with #MedwayTogether, tagging the council’s social media accounts @Medway_Council on Twitter, Medway Council service updates on Facebook and Medway_Council_News on Instagram.
Medway has a fantastic community spirit
Cllr Alan Jarrett, Leader of Medway Council, said: “Medway has a fantastic community spirit and during these uncertain times it is incredibly important that we all come together and support one another. This project gives Medway’s children an opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences in a creative way. We are looking forward to reading their poems and stories and seeing their drawings and paintings, music or videos.”
We’ve already received a brilliant poem written by one of Medway’s Year 11 students summarising beautifully how life changed as the pandemic took hold.
It was March 2020...
The streets were empty,
The shops closed.
People couldn't get out,
But spring did not know.
And the flowers began to bloom,
The sun shone,
The birds sang.
The swallows would soon arrive,
The sky was blue,
The morning arrived early.
It was March 2020...
Young people had to study online,
And find occupations at home.
People could no longer go shopping,
Or go to the hairdressers.
Soon there would be no more room in the hospitals,
And people continued to get sick.
But spring did not know,
The time to go to the garden arrived,
The grass grew greener.
It was March 2020...
People have been put on lock down,
To protect grandparents, families and children.
No more meetings or meals, or family celebrations.
The fear became real and the days were therefore similar.
But spring did not know.
Apples, cherry trees and others bloomed,
The leaves grew.
People started reading, playing with their families,
Learning different languages.
Singing on the balcony inviting neighbours to do the same.
Being supportive and focusing on other values.
People realized the importance of health,
Of suffering, of this world that had stopped,
Of the economy that had collapsed.
But spring did not know,
The flowers gave way to the fruit,
The birds made their nests,
The swallows had arrived.
Then the liberation came,
People found out on TV,
The virus had lost!
People took to the streets, sang and cried.
Hugged their neighbours,
Without masks and gloves.
And that's when summer came.
Because spring did not know.
He continued to be there despite everything.
Despite the virus, fear and death.
Because spring didn't know,
He taught people the power or life.
Everything is going to be fine.
Stay home, protect yourself.
But most of all enjoy life.
That was March 2020.