Digital Cookbook Designed by University Students to be Used at National Archives

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The e-Cookbook, which is based on dishes used on the home front during the 1914-1918 conflict, was launched last year but will now feature in a family day hosted by the venue at Kew, in London.

The event, on Saturday, will focus on food and drink during wartime, particularly on rationing and the changes in diet during both the First and Second World Wars.

As part of this there will be an opportunity to taste some food from genuine First and Second World War recipes.

Pages from the cookbook with the recipes used will be on display along with some printouts of the activities in the cookbook.

The Archives will also provide an electronic tablet with the link'to the e-Cookbook to encourage children to have a look at it at home.

Students on the University's Graphic Design and Multimedia course spent three months working on the "live brief", which was set by Maggie Andrews, Professor of Cultural History at the University, as part of her work with the Voices of War and Peace WW1 Community Engagement Hub.

Titled WW1 Food Fight, the recipes encourage children to engage with the centenary of the First World War.

It includes recipes like a meatless stew, an eggless sponge cake and a baked jam roll as well as sheets and games for schools and children's groups.

One of the aims of the project was to get primary school-aged children interested in food and learning more about WW1 history and the challenges of cooking on the home front.

Since its publication, the cookbook has been handed out for use to local schools and libraries across Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Professor Andrews said: "The World War 1 cookbook project has really engaged young people with the WW1 Home Front - and it is a wonderful example of the many opportunities that students are being offered as a result of the University's work with the Voices of War and Peace WW1 Hub."

Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Design, who was in charge of the project, said: "I'm absolutely delighted.

"As this piece of work is not just theoretical, it has an output at the end, it has had an obvious effect on the students and the way they approach their work."