The Ark and Dove: How far would you go to be free? Would you leave your home? your country? .....your family?

The gripping story of The Ark and Dove incorporates many different themes.

I worked on the Isle of Wight as part of a National Heritage Lottery Fund commission from the Isle of Wight Literary Festival with Estelle Baker from the IOW Heritage Service, Colin Phillimore (Creative) and Elspeth Giddens from IOWLF.

We worked in four local schools over four weeks: Barton Junior School, St Francis Junior School, St Helens Junior School and St Mary’s Junior School. We wanted to facilitate sharing this project with as many schools and public learning facilities as possible and develop an Education Pack. This ensures an ongoing legacy of The Ark and Dove project with the progress of the project and outcomes informing maritime heritage and linking to next year's #Mayflower400 commemoration.

During our time together the students heard the story of The Ark and Dove from 1633, as recorded by Father White, a catholic priest exiled because of religious prejudice. They explored objects and artefacts and recorded 'What they thought?' 'What they knew?' and 'What they wondered?' about them.

They started work on a short script telling the story of leaving from Cowes to arriving in Chesapeake Bay and sailing up the Potomac River to meet and live alongside the Piscataway nation. We focused the students on the fact that at first the travellers were welcomed and hosted by the Piscataway people and the Tayak (or Chief) told them, "This is just what I want, we will share one table".