Getting Schools Hooked on Nomadic - by Susie Millar
December 29 2009
During 2010, I’ll be doing my best to get primary school children interested in SS Nomadic’s restoration project. Nomadic was moved to its new home at Hamilton Dock in Titanic Quarter in August and contractors will be starting work early in the New Year. As this process continues, it is important to keep a level of public interest and support in the project.
The Department of Social Development, who own SS Nomadic, provided funds during 2009 for the development and delivery of the Titanic Nomadic Schools Project. I have put together a forty minute illustrated talk aimed at P5, 6 and 7 classes. After the talk there is a question and answer session with the children which has so far prompted some interesting and informed questions. We have completed two talks in 2009 and five are booked in for January.
While the Nomadic is out of the public eye, it is important that a gateway is kept open for people to keep up with her progress. The idea of communicating the history of Nomadic to children is something which I think will work well. So many children in Northern Ireland have a natural enthusiasm for the Titanic story, born from the fact that it was built in their own country. A talk about Nomadic, the closest you will get to Titanic without travelling over two miles to the bottom of the ocean, brings that story to life in their classrooms. The idea is that the children will keep in touch with Nomadic’s progress through the website and will tell their parents what they have learned.
While the talk is essentially about the history of Nomadic and the future plans for its restoration, I also include a brief account of my own connection to Titanic through my great grandfather, Tommy Millar. Nothing grabs the attention of children quite like a true story. Many of them can relate their own connection to great grandfathers and even further back who worked in Harland and Wolff. The talk also aims to reinforce what an influence Belfast had on shipbuilding and how H and W were truly shipbuilders to the world.
The Titanic Nomadic Schools Project is free to primary schools in Northern Ireland. There are still around a dozen slots available through late January, February and March. The project will be rolled out again in April 2010. If you are a school which wants to book a talk, please contact Susie Millar at Susie@titanictours-belfast.co.uk or phone 07852 716655. I am Access NI cleared. I’ll do my best to find you a space.
Best wishes for 2010.
