Hautlieu English students could have their written work distributed to journalists at an event featuring 47,000 travel and tourism professionals.
Year 12 students have one flexi-week each term when they are able to spend a whole day immersing themselves in an A-Level subject. On Monday 17th October and Thursday 20th October, 65 English Literature and Language A-Level students will get the opportunity to produce a piece of written work for Jersey War Tunnels.
The assignment will be set by Steve Smith, Managing Director of local company Unlimited Exposure Public Relations, who works on behalf of Jersey War Tunnels. He will speak to the students about a range of careers that involve writing, including public relations.
The students will then be asked to produce a 700 word account about Christmas in 1944, possibly the bleakest in the Island’s history.
In 1944, the Jersey perspective of D-Day was very different to much of Europe; soon after the Allied invasion the Channel Islands were completely cut off from French supply routes. By November 1944 it was estimated that Jersey’s civil population was just four to six weeks away from starvation. Thankfully the International Red Cross ship SS Vega arrived on 30 December 1944 with food parcels for every Islander; these contained such luxuries as tea, chocolate, cheese and tinned meat.
The students will be asked to chronicle this period and the arrival of the ship which brought salvation. The best piece of work may be used as part of the press pack for the forthcoming World Travel Market in November, at which 190 countries are represented, including Jersey.
Mr Smith explained:
“Jersey War Tunnels works closely with Jersey Tourism to get UK journalists interested in writing about the Occupation period. The World Travel Market is one of the most important events in our calendar. It is a sweet shop for travel journalists where they can meet the world’s tourism industry under one roof and where they will decide which places to write about in 2006. We wanted to set this assignment top show the students how good writing skills are used to market the Island.”
Paul Simmonds, Chief Executive of Jersey War Tunnels, added:
“One of our guiding principles is to communicate Occupation stories to a new generation of islanders. I hope that the students will become interested in their local history, but also that they will gain new understanding of how attractions proactively work to attract new tourists.”
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Issued by Steve Smith, Unlimited Exposure Public Relations, telephone: 00 44 (0)1534 734444
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