Berkshire Children Bury M4 Time Capsule

20 June 2010, 06:00

School children from Wokingham's Grazeley Parochial Primary School have buried a time capsule at the Junction 11 roadworks.

Children at the school in Mereoak Lane were asked to either enter a drawing competition to draw or colour a picture based on the theme of 'What is your favourite way to travel' or take part in a letter writing competition which involved writing a letter to someone of their own age who lives in the future, about what life is like now.

The third part of the competition was for all children at the school to put forward suggestions into a suggestion box about what should be included in a time capsule.

The capsule buried on Wednesday for future generations to find included the winning entries from the writing and drawing competitions, a local newspaper, coins, stamps, South Africa Fifa World Cup 2010 stickers, a Reading Football Club programme and signed calendar, a school jumper, various Junction 11-related information including aerial photos of the scheme before and after, factsheets and site safety clothing, a school photo, Reach Parish magazine, a postcard of Berkshire and a globe. 

Jean Bateman, headteacher, said: 

“The children had a very exciting time and felt really privileged to take part in the burial of the time-capsule.  It was a unique experience for all of them. We are really pleased that we were asked to take part in the competition and were able to come up with a picture, letter and ideas worthy of inclusion.”

The £65 million Junction 11 scheme will be finished in the summer, and should reduced congestion.