New book tells story of bombings

PUPILS who attend the former school of IRA bomb victim Tim Parry have praised a new book which tells the story of the Warrington bombings.
Entitled ‘Good can Come from Evil’ the book aimed at children and families was released earlier this year to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the tragedy and is now being introduced in local schools.
Pupils from Tim Parry’s former school, Barrow Hall Primary, were among the first to review the book.
Olivia Boughton-Milby, 9, said: “It made me feel quite sad to read about how upset everyone was and how many people were injured.”
Jakes Reeves, 10, added: “I really liked the book, I read it twice. I knew about the bombing before but now I know a lot more. I think it’s important that people learn about it so that it doesn’t happen again.”
The book was written by independent author Richard Holland and produced by the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace in partnership with Golden Square Shopping Centre. The centre adopted the Peace Centre is its chosen charity of the year.
Wendy Parry, founder of the Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace, comments: “After trying to answer my five-year-old granddaughter’s questions about what happened to Tim and Johnathan, I realised how difficult it is to try and explain the events of 1993 to children. So we wanted to produce something that does just that in a way that is not frightening to them.
“It was hard work trying to make sure that the tone and language was appropriate for young people but clearly from talking to the children at Tim’s old primary school we’ve succeeded.”
Ian Cox, General Manager at Golden Square, added: “We’re really pleased to be a part of something that is such an important part of Warrington’s history. This book is all about creating a legacy: it’s so important to share our stories and experiences of the event with today’s young people otherwise in generations to come it could be forgotten.
“I hope our efforts to help the youth of Warrington learn from and remember these events will be as warmly accepted throughout other schools in Warrington, and potentially even across the UK, as they have been at Barrow Hall.”
There are plans to incorporate the book into local history modules at Barrow Hall Primary School. Meanwhile, Wendy and husband Colin are actively promoting the book to other schools across Warrington.
Colin says: “I’m surprised that ‘peace studies’ isn’t a formal part of the school curriculum. We continue to see terrorist acts, wars and hate crimes on the news and it seems to me that educating our youth about the effects and the consequences is crucial. It’s the next generation that can make the change.”
‘Good can Come from Evil’ is available to buy from Waterstones in Golden Square – with all profits going towards the work of the Peace Centre.
Picture: Tim Parry Foundation Johnathan Ball for Peace founders Wendy and Colin Parry and representatives of book sponsors Golden Square, Ian Cox and Anna Batt meet children of Barrow Hall Primary School with (inset)Timn Parry and Johnathan Ball.