SCHOOL children in Kidderminster have been bringing history to life by visiting their local Midcounties Co-Operative store as part of the ‘Stores as Classrooms’ initiative.

Eighty children from Franche Primary School visited the Franche Road food store over a two day period, which tied in with their current project about The Great Fire of London.

The children visited the in-store bakery, where they heard how bread is made and how safety is ensured in the bakery and throughout the store. This helped them understand how different the conditions were at the infamous Pudding Lane Bakery where the Great Fire started.

The visit also educated the children about fire and safety systems, including learning about different types of fire extinguisher, safety signs and a mock fire drill was conducted.

Gail Evans, class teacher at Franche Primary School, said: “The Great Fire of London is an important event in British history and visiting the Midcounties Co-Operative store to put this into a modern day context was a fantastic opportunity for the children.

“They particularly enjoyed seeing how the in-store bakery works, as well as learning about important Health and Safety information in a practical environment.”

David Darlaston, head of young people engagement at the Midcounties Co-Operative, said: “We are committed to investing in the education of young people in the local community.

“The Great Fire of London lesson was a great way to engage the children about an important event in British history and the stores as classrooms visit with Franche Primary School was enjoyed by the children, colleagues and customers and we are looking forward to hosting similar visits in the future.”