Partners

The National Army Museum would like to thank the following partners for their help and support in putting together the War Horse: Fact & Fiction exhibition.

Michael Morpurgo

www.michaelmorpurgo.com

Michael Morpurgo is one of the UK’s best-loved authors and storytellers. He was appointed Children’s Laureate in May 2003, a post he helped to set up with his friend Ted Hughes in 1999. He was awarded an OBE for services to Literature in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2007.

He has written over 120 books, for which he has won many awards including the Children’s Book Award and Carnegie Medal (2000) the Red House Children’s Book Award (2004 and 2010) and the Blue Peter Book Award in 2005.

Many of Michael’s books have been adapted for the stage. These include Private Peaceful, Kensuke’s Kingdom, Why the Whales Came and The Mozart Question, and most notably, the National Theatre’s production of War Horse.

Michael travels all over the UK and abroad talking to children and telling his stories and encouraging them to tell theirs.

In 1976, Michael and his wife, Clare, started the charity Farms for City Children. They help to run three farms around the country offering children and teachers from urban primary schools the chance to live and work in the countryside for a week, and gain hands-on experience. For more information about the work of Farms for City Children, please visit www.farmsforcitychildren.co.uk

Visit www.michaelmorpurgo.com for behind-the-scenes, reviews, activities and extracts.

War Horse Book

War Horse is an incredibly moving story about one horse’s experience in the deadly chaos of the First World War.

The book recounts the adventures of a horse as he moves from life on a farm into the battles of World War I, the story of a friendship lasting through the toughest of tests. Through the eyes of the war horse, Joey, Michael Morpurgo tells this moving and powerful story of survival on the Western Front.

First published in 1982, WH is available in hardback and paperback. There is also a beautiful gift edition with stunning colour illustrations by Francois Place. You can order War Horse from Egmont.

You can also now listen to a fantastic War Horse audio extract on the Michael Morpurgo audio library. The audio book is published by HarperCollins.

If you are a teacher, discover War Horse in the Collins Readers series. You can also download the free scheme of work from the Collins Education website to support your teaching.

Egmont

www.egmont.co.uk

War Horse is published by Egmont. Egmont is the UK’s top specialist children’s publisher. The company is home to some of the world’s best loved authors, illustrators and characters such as Michael Morpurgo, Andy Stanton, Michelle Magorian, Julia Donaldson, Winnie-the-Pooh, Wallace & Gromit, Tintin, Mr Men, Thomas the Tank Engine, Barbie, Waybuloo and Ben 10.

Egmont UK is part of the Egmont Group which was founded in 1878. It is Scandinavia’s leading media group and Europe’s largest children’s publisher telling stories through books, magazines, film, TV, music, games and mobile in 30 countries throughout the world.

Egmont are the publishers of many of Michael Morpurgo’s books.

Farm Boy

Would you like to find out about the magical sequel to War Horse? Well, you’ll have to read Farm Boy! The book brings us forward fifty years with Albert not only telling his grandson Joey’s story but also a ‘shameful secret’ which he has held for years… The story is set in Iddesleigh in Devon and lovingly evokes the bonds between farm and farmer; grandson and grandfather.

A new version of Farm Boy with a stunning new cover is out in October. Order it now: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Farm-Boy-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0007450656/

Farm Boy is published by HarperCollins.

War Horse Theatre Production

warhorselondon.nationaltheatre.org.uk

War Horse is a thrilling and spectacular production based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo.

The First World War is the backdrop for this tale of bravery, loyalty, and the extraordinary bond between a young recruit and his horse.

Actors, working with astonishing life-sized puppets by the internationally renowned Handspring Puppet Company, take audiences on an unforgettable journey through history.

Produced by the National Theatre, this award-winning smash hit is now playing at the New London Theatre.

National Theatre

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

The National Theatre is dedicated to the constant revitalisation of the great traditions of the British stage and to expanding the horizons of audiences and artists alike.

In its three theatres on the South Bank in London, it presents an eclectic mix of new plays and classics from the world repertoire with seven or eight productions in repertory at any one time. The National Theatre aspires to reflect in its repertoire the diversity of the nation’s culture.

With a commitment to openness, wide-reaching engagement and access for everyone, the National shares its resources, energy and creativity with audiences and theatre-makers around the globe, using its Studio for research and development, offering extensive learning and public engagement programmes, touring and broadcasting in the UK and internationally, and creating innovative digital content.

The Brooke

www.thebrooke.org

The Brooke is an international animal welfare organisation dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Founded by Dorothy Brooke in 1934, she rescued former war horses from the Palestine campaign, then being used as beasts of burden on the streets of Cairo in Egypt.

The Brooke continues to help working ‘horse heroes’ of today providing veterinary treatment and programmes to improve animal welfare across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our goal is to increase the number of working animals we help to two million a year by 2016.

The RSPCA

www.rspca.org.uk

The RSPCA is the best known and longest-running animal welfare charity in the country. Founded in 1824 we received royal approval from Queen Victoria in 1840. Our royal patronage continues to this day with Her Majesty the Queen recognising the work we do for animal welfare.

Our involvement in the First and Second World Wars makes up a large part of our history and heritage. In 1914 we set up the Fund for Sick and Wounded Horses to help the horses on the frontline and went on to rescue over 256,000 animal victims of enemy action during World War Two.

The RSPCA still rescues and cares for horses, ponies and donkeys at our specialist equine centres. We regularly receive calls from the public concerned about horses, and this year complaints about tethered horses look set to rise by 20%. Unfortunately the RSPCA also sees severe cases of cruelty to horses, with one high-profile example being the ‘Amersham Horses’ case.

RSPCA Inspectors discovered the horrific scene at Spindle Farm, Amersham where over 100 horses and ponies were found in terrible conditions. The horses and ponies had been neglected and starved so badly that it was too late to rescue all of them. We ended up with 36 horses and ponies in our care and 14 benefitted from expert care at RSPCA Felledge Equine Centre and RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre.

The RSPCA receives over 1.1 million calls each year from the public and our 295 dedicated RSPCA Inspectors investigate nearly 160,000 complaints making them the frontline against animal cruelty. Last year we secured 2,441 convictions in our mission to prevent cruelty to animals.

The Blue Cross

www.bluecross.org.uk

The Blue Cross is one of the UK’s leading animal charities. Founded in 1897 as ‘Our Dumb Friends League’ (ODFL), its early work focussed on improving the welfare of working horses, particularly in London, and providing veterinary care to many animals who would otherwise have been left to suffer.

During the Balkan War, the charity opened a ‘Blue Cross Fund’ which raised money to help animals in war. This was reopened during the First and Second World Wars when it funded vital veterinary care for horses and other animals on the front line through hospitals, ambulances and medical provisions. The importance of this work led to the charity’s change in name to The Blue Cross in the 1950s.

Today, The Blue Cross continues to respond to animals in need, caring for thousands of sick and homeless horses and pets every year, funded entirely by public donations. Its network of animal adoption and equine centres take in unwanted or abandoned animals and find them loving new homes, while its veterinary hospitals and clinics treat the pets of people who cannot afford private vets’ fees.

Film Education

www.filmeducation.org

The National Army Museum is pleased to be working alongside Film Education who are producing an interactive curriculum-focused website to accompany the cinema release of War Horse. With materials for KS3 & KS4 English and History, this exciting free resource for schools will feature assets from the film exploring key themes, historical background and the process of adaptation for the screen. The website can be found at: www.filmeducation.org/warhorse/

Film Education is a charity funded by the UK film industry, supporting schools to use film in the classroom through producing award-winning teaching resources, running teacher training and offering free cinema-based events. We have been producing unique, curriculum-relevant film-based learning experiences for over 25 years at no or nominal cost to teachers.