CULLINGWORTH children are taking part in a major BBC multicultural project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

BBC Radio Leeds is bringing together children from primary schools in Cullingworth and Farnham in Great Horton, Bradford.

Children of the Somme will see the radio station working with 30 pupils to help them find out more about their own history and any involvement their family members might have had with the famous battle.

The children will attend a series of two-hour weekly workshops involving educational talks about the history of the Somme and writing activities.

Being introduced to a new culture, they will work on literacy and creative skills with poems and stories about the Battle of the Somme, in addition to learning new musical instruments and dance routines with a South Asian influence.

The project will culminate in a concert at Bradford Playhouse, where pupils from both schools will perform together, showcasing everything they have learned from the workshops.

The event, taking place on November 17, will also include performances from local artists from Annapurna Dance and musicians from SAA UK, who will work with the pupils throughout the programme.

The concert will also premiere the play Coming Home Together, written by scriptwriter, radio presenter and arts journalist Nick Ahad.

The project The ambitious BBC Radio Leeds project will also be working closely with the Bradford Music Service, Lucie Lee Dance Academy, Nima Poovaya-Smith, director of Alchemy Arts, and local children’s author Hilary Robinson among other local groups.

Sanjiv Buttoo, Editor of BBC Radio Leeds, said: “Within the first hour of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, thousands of soldiers from Bradford and Leeds were killed.

“The devastating losses were not just the young men from West Yorkshire; 130,000 troops of the Indian Forces served in Flanders during World War One, and two Indian Cavalry troops were among those taking part in that first battle of the Somme.

“They have relatives living here who may be unaware of those sacrifices which unite us all.”

Harriet Taylor, class teacher Cullingworth Primary School, said the children screamed with excitement when they discovered the BBC were going to visit.

She added: "The children are going to get used to different cultures, it's such an important thing for them to get used to diversity.”

Updates on the project will be broadcast on BBC local radio and television.