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From the archive · Press release
The Zebra Crossing Poems
A book of poems by pupils of Selwyn Primary School, published by Eastside Community Heritage.
Originally published 22 November 2001
From the archive. Between 1998 and 2003 this domain carried the constituency website of the Member of Parliament for East Ham. This page keeps one of its items as a historical record, with the original date restored. East Ham Ledger, which publishes the site today, is an independent magazine and has no link to any MP, party or Parliament; contact details and the names of private individuals have been removed, and lost pictures have been replaced with credited photographs of the places concerned.
Pictured today: Photo: Robert Lamb / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham, recently visited Selwyn Primary School to launch "Zebra Crossing", a new children’s poetry book published by Eastside Community Heritage. Mr Timms met some of the children that had contributed poems to this book, and presented certificates to some pupils for outstanding academic achievement.
Stephen Timms, the Schools Standards Minister, was keen to launch this book, partly because it was produced by local children, but also to try and highlight the Department for Education and Skills’ ongoing work to encourage children’s creativity.Through the Government-funded "Excellence in Cities Initiative", the renowned poet Matthew Sweeney ran a poetry workshop for Year 5 pupils in the summer, and some of the children’s work was then included in "Zebra Crossing".The book included such wide-ranging titles as "The Flying Chocolate Robber", "Avalanche" and "Sally Sugar".
Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion said, "The Selwyn poets have produced a very funny, touching and adventurous collection of work. It is inspiring as well as entertaining to see such fiery imaginations at work.".
Mr Timms said, " I thoroughly enjoyed reading the poems in the zebra crossing, and am delighted to see the creativity of the children in this area".
