By Kayleigh Cantrell
West Derby MP Ian Byrne has been pushing for a Hillsborough Day to come into force across all UK schools, as apart of the launch of the ‘Real Truth Legacy Project’.
The campaign began in 2021 and has made leaps of progress since the launch, including the motion pass of teaching the tragedy in Merseyside schools.
The MP has been working closely with local author, Shaun Millea, who has written a children’s book about the tragedy.
The book is called “When Will Dad Be Home?” And tells the story of the Hillsborough Disaster through the eyes of 9 year old Frankie.
The ex-teacher decided to write the book once he discovered only 3 in 25 students knew what the disaster was and believed it was important to not let the piece of history fade away.
Since the release of the book, it has become popular within the Merseyside region as it’s being sold in franchise and independent book stores.
He said: “I didn’t think that much to the book but then Kevin (Kevin Roach – Publisher) said to me Ian Byrne has started a campaign called the Real Truth Legacy where he is trying to get a Hillsborough Day and he’s looking for a book that he can use in schools and Kevin said to me ‘We’ve got one’.”
The West Derby MP and local author met on a regular basis to discuss how to make the book apart of the regional curriculum. It was added to the educational took-kit last year.
Shaun said: “When the book was published and became apart of the Merseyside curriculum I was asked what I wanted to do with it next and what I wanted to do was turn it into a play and tour it in schools.
“And of course, push the Hillsborough teaching material into all UK schools.”
In the past two months, Shaun, Ian, and their team have been preparing to hit the stage with a theatre version of the play.
They held casting, workshops and rehearsals at the Arts Bar Hope Street studios.
The cast took to the stage on the 15th and 16th of April at the Capstone Theatre, in tribute of the disasters’ 35th anniversary.
Shaun and Ian are now in the development stage of preparing to tour the play in schools.
Mersey Focus 