Max's Story
We lived in Poland in Konin. Max's father came to Coatbridge to work in October 2006.
After two months we decided to join him.
At first Maksym was very confused because he left all his friends in Konin. He doesn't have a contact with other children his age, that's why we decided that he should go to the nursery. Max was never crying in nursery but he was confused because he didn't understand other children and the teachers, but we knew that after a while he would feel better. We all feel very welcome in nursery All the teachers were very helpful and patient. They were teaching Max new words. He learned very fast. We found that he new how to count in English after a few days.
Max is very happy now! He's going to nursery with real pleasure. Max said that he enjoyed the trips the most. He likes to paint, reading the story's, singing and playing with other kids in group. His favourite song is "Twinkle, Twinkle, little star" but he is singing a lot of songs at home. Max likes to bring his special box of things to the nursery.
He picked up his Polish books and favourite toys some of them from Poland too.
We were very afraid at first, when we came to Coatbridge, because we didn't know how Max would feel in new place. But now, we are not worried any more.
Max has new friends in Coatbridge and we know that he is happy. That's why we are happy too.
Max Birbal
Dunbeth Nursery Centre
North Lanarkshire Council
Ages : 3
The innocence of children
It all began a long time ago. The war was happening and many children were being hurt and separated from their families.
My Granda came to Britain when he was just a child, in fact, he came from Germany.
He was only four years old when the story starts and recalls hearing very loud bangs. He remembers eating raw turnip from a field, in which he lived, ate and slept and his mother throwing him into a muddy ditch and throwing herself on top of him to protect him as the loud bang grew closer. He was only a child, innocent to what was happening within his homeland.
One day he was at the bottom of the field when British soldiers passed by, one kindly stopped and sat him in his truck, the soldier smiled and let my Granda play with the steering-wheel and gave him chocolate, something he had never tasted before.
This British soldier fell in love with my Granda's mum, and when the war ended, he brought them over to Britain where he married her and made Granda his son.
Many years have passed, many memories are still raw and many lives were lost. Without this British soldier, my Granda would not have survived, and certainly would not be here.
What is the moral of this story, I hear you sat. All children around the world, no matter what colour, country or religion are innocent to the fallout of war.
Rachel Graham
Dundonald Primary School
South Ayrshire Council
Ages : 10
Winner
