Win VIP Tickets for your school to see Titanic Belfast
Belfast Harbour and the Titanic Foundation have launched a competition for primary school pupils to create Titanic-themed models out of everyday household items. Up for grabs will be exclusive access to the new Titanic Belfast visitor attraction opening next year. Pictured at the competition launch in front of the new Titanic Belfast visitor attraction are Webster, the Port’s environmental guardian with the CEO of Belfast Harbour Roy Adair, CEO of Titanic Foundation, Cliodhna Craig and Liam Kelly and Anna Pollock from Ballyholland Primary School in Newry. Ballyholland Primary School’s Year 7 class are leading the way by making their own prototype models for the launch. Teachers are being asked to register now at: www.webstersays.com
Belfast Harbour and the Titanic Foundation have launched a competition for primary school pupils to create Titanic-themed models out of everyday household items. Up for grabs will be exclusive access to the new Titanic Belfast visitor attraction opening next year as well as educational equipment for schools.
The competition will run during the new term in September, but Teachers of Years 5, 6 and 7 pupils are being asked to register interest now by logging onto Belfast Harbour’s new children’s website: www.webstersays.com which is the online home for Webster, the Port’s environmental guardian, complete with games, green tips and fun facts about Belfast Harbour and Titanic.
Built on the very site where the ship was designed and launched, Titanic Belfast will capture the sights and sounds of Titanic’s story using amazing 3D technology, interactive exhibitions, dedicated education space plus rare archive footage from Titanic’s final resting place at the bottom of the North Atlantic.
Cliodhna Craig, CEO of Titanic Foundation, the independent charitable Trust which will own Titanic Belfast, said:
“We want children from all over Northern Ireland to be inspired by their outstanding industrial and maritime heritage. Titanic was the greatest engineering achievement of its era and our aim is to spur on a new generation of ‘Titanic Thinkers’ who are capable of similar Titanic feats.
“Pupils are being asked to use their creativity to design and build models with a Titanic theme. These could include anything from recreations of the new Titanic Belfast building to interpretations of the Titanic, shipbuilding or something completely different. As long as there is a Titanic inspiration, the more imaginative the models are the better.”
Models can be built from items such as old plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, cereal or egg boxes, old clothes and shoes or bits of rubber or wood.
There will be three categories, for Years 5, 6 and 7. The deadline for entries will be October with winners to be announced in November.
Roy Adair, CEO of Belfast Harbour, said:
“Belfast Harbour’s connections with Titanic date from the construction of the ship right through to the creation of Titanic Belfast. The Harbour is also committed to improving environmental awareness among children through ‘Webster’, the Port’s environmental guardian.
“Webster is delighted to link www.webstersays.com, which has a host of fun games and educational materials, with the Titanic Belfast junk-modelling competition. There are great prizes to be won and the chance for entries to be featured on Webster’s new site. This is an excellent way for children to learn more about Titanic and how we can all play our part in looking after the environment.”
Construction of Titanic Belfast, which is expected to attract around 400,000 visitors per year, is continuing apace, with the cladding process well underway and fit-out of its nine galleries due to begin shortly.
Titanic Belfast will also include a Learning Zone which will allow children to take part in structured educational programmes plus an Ocean Exploration Centre linked to ongoing marine research at local universities and live feeds from current explorations being carried out by Dr. Ballard who discovered Titanic in 1985.
Building work is on schedule for completion by March 2012 in time to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage a month later.
