The Lost Words never to be forgotten thanks to Doncaster borough’s Rotary Clubs and area’s primary pupils

It all began in 2007 and then in 2012, when words associated with the natural world such as ‘conker’, ‘kingfisher’ and ‘bluebell’ were removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary to make room for more ‘modern’ vocabulary such as ‘blog’ and ‘chatroom’.

The Lost Words’, a beautiful and award-winning book by poet Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris, was published to reinstate these words.

Rotary Clubs, St Leger and Doncaster, joined forces to bring a copy of ‘The Lost Words’ to every primary school in Doncaster by putting up around half of the cost.

A crowdfunding organised by local writer/author, Phil Sheppard, raised the remainder, and Doncaster Waterstones generously supplied copies of the book at a 35 percent discount.

This followed a crowdfunding drive which took place in Scotland last year to raise funds to give a copy to all schools in Scotland. Similar campaigns have taken place up and down the country.

The books have just been delivered to all one hundred Doncaster Primary schools by local Rotarians and have been very well received with many schools sharing their plans for a wide range of activities based upon the poems and what they refer to as the “stunning” and “spellbinding” illustrations in this “wonderful” book.

Two copies have been presented to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster at the Otter enclosure by Bessacarr Primary School pupils.

One of the book’s iconic illustrations features two otters. The Wildlife Park’s giant otters took a great interest in proceedings. It is hoped that the books can be used in educational activities at the Park.

The book is also being used by charities and carers working with dementia sufferers, with refugees, with survivors of domestic abuse, with childhood cancer patients, and with people in terminal care.

It has also been adapted for dance, outdoor theatre, thousands of school projects, folk music and much more.