As the sun was setting over Morecambe Bay on Tuesday 7^th January, around 50 MBC Working Group members arrived at The Midland Hotel for afternoon tea.

The event was arranged to celebrate six years of the Morecambe Bay Curriculum’s Working Groups, and to recognise the achievements of our brilliant colleagues around the Bay who have been working to embed place, sustainability and environment into local early years, primary, secondary and further education settings since 2019.

On arrival, guests were welcomed with a personalised copy of the MBC Timeline, ‘hot off the press’. Sarah Kemp (Lancaster University Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement) gave a short speech, thanking everyone for coming and for their significant contributions to the development of the MBC through their membership of the various Working Groups, and providing an update on Eden Project Morecambe, due to start on the site next to The Midland very soon. Afternoon tea was then served, with guests sitting in their groups and enjoying plenty of cake and chat. Linda Pye, headteacher at Ryelands Primary and Nursery School, and Wes Johnson, Principal of Myerscough College, concluded the event, with their own personal reflections on their journey from the start of the MBC to where we are now.

It felt like a very special celebration, with everyone together in the same room and marking the end of one chapter before the beginning of the next, with the new Working Groups due to be launched on 7^th February. Thank you to all those who came out on a cold and dark evening, so early in the new year, and brought real warmth and light to a magical occasion!

Here are some of the lovely comments which we received from guests:

Thank you so much for the wonderful Afternoon Tea on Tuesday. It was a lovely way to celebrate all the achievements of the Morecambe Bay Curriculum, so far.

I just wanted to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU for the gooooorgeous afternoon tea! What a lovely occasion and celebration of everything so far. It was a perfect setting; the speeches were spot on; the company FABULOUS and the refreshments delicious – what a treat on a cold Tuesday evening. The personalised timeline was a lovely and thoughtful memento. Thanks for all the hard work, cajoling (of the Midland), thought and effort which went into the event.

Thanks for the lovely afternoon tea event at the Midland Hotel – it was much appreciated and very enjoyable.

Thank you so much for inviting me to attend the MBC Afternoon Tea - it was very thoughtful! I had a really nice time - it was lovely to see some old faces and to hear how well the project is going. I had such a lovely time working on it and it brought back some very nice memories. I have put your timeline in my mementos box!

Thanks for a fabulous and inspirational event at The Midland. What a great way to start the year!