As a child I remember being told of a Great Uncle who had been a 
Fighter Pilot in WW2.
He never came back from the war.
His brother – my grandfather – had been a Prisoner Of War in Germany but was unable to talk about his experiences. Only after his death decades later did I read the diary he had written as a POW.
This made me want to learn more about people’s lives during the war and in recent years another Great Uncle told me about his life as a Halifax Bomber Pilot.
I treasured their stories and the sacrifices they had made for our country and I felt it important that younger generations should know what our forefathers went through during the war.
I studied the contents of the National Curriculum for Key Stage 2 on the subject of WW2 and was prompted to write a film script which would tie in with KS2. I started to ask local people if they would like to share their wartime memories and many people contacted me with their recollections of the war, especially about the Blitz and evacuation.
The true stories were from people who were children or young people during the war, and their amazing stories inspired the script for Blitz & Bananas.
We didn’t want to make a documentary but a drama film which we thought would be an easier way to inform and educate a younger audience, especially as the main characters in the film are children. We’re delighted that the film has appealed to all age groups, especially those who remember the war, but we’ve also had some great feedback from children who’ve seen the film. Our aim is for the film to also be screened in schools and it can also be used in conjunction with WW2 workshops. Please contact Anna for more details of both: anna@blitzandbananas.com or 07757 162114
We are also raising funds for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal and Anna is available for assemblies, talks or workshops linked with Remembrance Day.
