Children from Altham St James’ CE Primary School years 5 and 6 have celebrated the successful conclusion of the Lydia Becker Project with an unforgettable visit to London and the Houses of Parliament.
The trip marked the culmination of a months-long project exploring the life and legacy of pioneering suffragist Lydia Becker, who spent part of her childhood at Moorside House in Altham. The initiative, supported by Hyndburn Borough Council and delivered by Scott Dawson Advertising through a series of workshops, visits and presentations, helped pupils discover the important role Becker played in the campaign for women’s voting rights.
The London visit was awarded to Altham St James’ CE Primary School after pupils impressed judges with their presentation on Lydia Becker during the project’s final competition. Earlier this year, pupils also visited the Pankhurst Museum in Manchester as part of the programme, learning more about the suffragette movement and its lasting impact.
Travelling by train from Accrington to London, some of the children were visiting the capital for the very first time. Their day included seeing some of the country’s most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament Square and the Houses of Parliament, before taking part in a private tour of Parliament and meeting Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith and her Westminster team.
Class 5 and 6 were able to visit the statue of leading suffragette Millicent Fawcett, and pay respect to Lydia Becker who has her portrait installed on the plinth to mark her importance in the movement. They also enjoyed a tour of Westminster Hall, the Central Lobby and were able to sit in the Gallery watching live proceedings in the House of Commons. They were then able to take part in a question and answer session with MP Sarah Smith in a Committee Room, and have an interesting debate.
The visit provided a fitting finale to a project that has brought local history and democracy to life for young people, helping them understand how individuals such as Lydia Becker helped shape modern democracy and inspire future generations.
Sarah Smith, MP for Hyndburn said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the pupils from Altham St James’ CE Primary School to the Houses of Parliament and to meet them in my workplace. The children asked some incredible questions and showed a real passion for the issues that matter to them, including around the recently announced ban on social media and its impact on young people. I hope they have learned something from their visit, gained a greater understanding of how Parliament works, and been inspired to come back again in the future.”
Murray Dawson, Chairman of Amazing Accrington and Managing Director of Scott Dawson Advertising, said: “This visit to Parliament was the perfect way to conclude a project that has helped bring Lydia Becker’s remarkable story to life for a new generation. Lydia’s connection to Altham and Hyndburn is something we should all be proud of, and we have worked hard to ensure her legacy has a lasting place within our community. From the school workshops and visits to the Pankhurst Museum, through to seeing the children standing in Parliament itself, the project has shown how local history can inspire young people to think about their own role in shaping the future. Seeing the excitement on the children’s faces throughout the day, particularly those visiting London for the first time, made all the hard work worthwhile.”
Funding for this project has been provided by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
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