Students from Droylsden Academy today participated in a French project in collaboration with New Mills School, Manchester Metropolitan University and TDA.

The aim of the day was to promote the use of drama for developing international citizenship, cultural awareness and understanding, in addition to increasing the confidence and self esteem of the students. Back in December, students were in the chosen class in each school put together a fictional box of personal effects of an ex-resident of their town, a woman, who is known to have been residing in France since just after the First World War. They then devised a life story around this woman which is supported by the objects in the box.

Today students were given the scenario that they were members of a local History Society whom have been contacted by Madame Solange Delbauve from Vannes, a city in north west France. Sometime ago she inherited a box containing the personal effects of her great aunt, Annie Grimshaw, which included an engraved locket. There were two grainy photos in the locket of a young man and a woman. The engraving on the back reads, "For Annie from your loving Cedric Droylesdon/New Mills 1917." This was the first inkling Madame Solange Delbauve had had of her English ancestry. She wanted to find out why her ancestor left Droylsden and ended up in Vannes so is coming to the next History Society meeting to find out more.

Students then had to piece together the life of Annie Grimshaw in Droylsden and explain this to Madame Solange, however unfortunately she didn't speak English, thus the students had to perform to her in French.

Mr Ribot, Head of MFL at Droylsden Academy was very pleased with the outcome of the day, commenting "Students enjoyed the day's activity which helped improve their French and confidence in speaking the language." Students will at a later date go to New Mills School to perform again.

Students whom participated in the day include: Bekky Palmer, Paige Phillips, Naushin Hasan, Alice Middleton, Clara Meredith, Courtney Gormen, Alick McGreskin, Sinead Livesey, Tamara Hayes, Sophie Yates, Meredyth Seymour Murphy, Hollie Doyle, Talisha Levy and Jamie Molloy.