The Book of Thetford

Long-time Festival collaborators, Andy Field and Beckie Darlington, led this project in which pupils from four Thetford primary schools created an imaginative ‘guidebook’ to their town.

Part fictional imagining, part actual guidebook, The Book of Thetford allowed the children to write stories about life on their streets as they see it. They drew new maps of their neighbourhood, named those places they care about that may not be noticed by others, and proposed new monuments to honour their unrecognised heroes.

For readers, whether local or visitors to the area, the guidebook acts as an invitation to look beyond the familiar and predictable and to experience Thetford anew, through the eyes of some of its youngest residents.

Participants worked with illustrators and designers to bring the book to life and it was launched to audiences at a packed  celebratory event at The Carnegie in Thetford during Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2024. Around 1500 copies of the book were distributed for free around Norfolk as part of the project.

Download The Book of Thetford

‘The launch event of the book will be a once in a lifetime experience for most children; they are truly proud to have their work, thoughts and opinions represented in a book that will showcase their love of Thetford. As staff, being able to experience the wonders of Thetford through the eyes of the children has been magical and they have captured all the wonderfulness of Thetford.’
Teacher, Drake Primary School

‘(The project) has made me think that Thetford is more creative and there are so many more possibilities. Maybe one day there could be a new coffee shop or a whole shop made of chocolate!’
Participant, Drake Primary School

Artists

Andy Field and Beckie Darlington

Location

Thetford, Norfolk

Participants

210 pupils and 15 school staff from: Admirals Academy, Drake Primary School, Norwich Road Academy and Redcastle Family School