PUPILS sought to bring the generations closer together through a touring show back in 1997.

The Mail, on July 16, noted: "Bridging the generation gap is the aim of Age Matters, a play being performed by students from St Barnard's School in schools and community centres.

"Devised by year 10 students with retired drama teacher Dennis Toye and directed by Rachel Ashton, the half-hour piece examines attitudes to ageing and takes up the story of a young girl caring for her elderly grandmother.

"Age Matters forms part of Age Concern's Building Bridges project, supported by the Heart of Barrow scheme and hopes to foster positive relations between the generations.

"The performances are taking place in senior citizens' clubs and day care facilities while in secondary schools older people have been watching the play alongside pupils."

Age Concern co-ordinator Paul Jenkins said: "The idea is that the play touches both younger and older members of the community, creating common ground and dialogue.

"What we have found is that young people feel they are seen as being lazy, rude and selfish and they don't feel this is the true picture."

Age Matters was funded by Barrow Borough Council, Crime beat, Age Concern and VSEL.

The Mail, on Friday, November 10 in 1995, noted: "Enthusiastic youngsters produced a range of stories - all exactly 50 words long - for the school's 1995 Mini Saga Competition.

"The competition was judged by the school's English department and Charlotte Elson and Angela Barns, from the University of Lancaster.

"All the winners were presented with certificate of achievement in English."

Visiting Japanese teacher Rumi Yamazaki was introducing youngsters to origami and how to play a stringed musical instrument called a koto in 1996.

The Mail, on Tuesday, November 19, noted that the teacher was from Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo, and she was on a six-month cultural exchange programme.

She had given up a job as a database operative for Nissan Motors to become a teacher.

She said: "In Japan we have an image of England. We old like it because of the old buildings and history.

"I have found since being here that some of its is true, some of it is not."

In March 1995 the school had welcomed visitors from the MoriokaDai-Ichi Senior High School in Japan.

A cultural evening was held with displays from England and Japan and the school was presented with a ceremonial sword by Japanese student Maiko Oda.