‘Who dunnit’ murder mystery workshops for school kids

Schoolchildren in Harrogate and Knaresborough are getting the chance to discover their inner sleuth this week thanks to a series of “crime scene” workshops aimed at boosting creativity and developing their writing and science skills.

Pic credit Richard Maude

Youngsters from six schools are taking part in Kids, Spies and PIs, where they will use the same methods used to train real detectives, including piecing together witness statements, bank rec-ords and text messages, to help solve a theatre murder mystery.

These immersive education workshops, run by Harrogate International Festivals and supported by the Wild Foundations, established in memory of Victor Wild of Bettys and Taylors of Harro-gate, are aimed at children aged nine to twelve and fit in with both the English and Science cur-riculums. Working together in teams, the pupils will gather the evidence about the possible sus-pects and be encouraged to present their theories before the truth is revealed.

Pic credit Richard Maude

The workshops take place early in June, with participating schools including New Park Primary Academy, Aspin Park Academy, Willow Tree Community Primary, Grove Road Community Prima-ry, Saltergate and Rossett Schools.

Education and outreach programmes like this are a key component of Harrogate International Festivals’ work, which aims to raise aspirations and create new opportunities for all through free access to the arts and culture.

Jonathan Wild said: "Wild Foundations is our way of honouring our father's legacy - not just as a polymath, but as someone who believed deeply in the power of curiosity and creativity.

“Through these workshops, we hope to spark that same spirit in young people across Harrogate, giving them the tools to explore, imagine, and grow."

Lizzie Barnes said: "Our father, Victor, had an extraordinary ability to connect ideas across disci-plines - from the arts to the sciences.

“With Wild Foundations, we’re building a space where young minds can do just that: develop skills, think creatively, and discover new passions. We’re thrilled to begin with crime writing and look forward to bringing the world of music to life later this year."

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “Our outreach work is at the heart of the Festivals’ ethos, which is all about promoting engagement with the arts in Harrogate and beyond through collaborations with schools and our local communities – and these exciting, hands-on workshops are a great way of enhancing this.

“We are incredibly grateful to our funders, the Wild Foundations, for supporting us to make these workshops happen.”

For information visit the Harrogate International Festivals website at harrogateinterna-tionalfestivals.com