The Burston Strike School rally takes place annually on the first Sunday in September, at Burston, Norfolk. In recent years, local union learning reps (ULRs) have used rally day as a focal point to meet up, share experiences and to promote the learning agenda into the wider labour movement and local group that gather.

Through that, a local union reps network has been re-established to strengthen ties. This year, the rally will witness new members of Unite's Community Initiative coming together to enjoy an activists picnic and banner making.

History is too often thought of as dry and distant subject but stood in the shadow of Strike School, it is impossible not to be inspired. From its first days, the new school was never just a free elementary day school for children, but more part of a vision to see a new community built on equality through solidarity and education.

We all walk in the footsteps of the struggles of previous generations and that is why, once again, our intention is to start to utilise the museum space for more trade union education, the delivery of community training days and organising programmes.

Situated on the edge of Burston village green in Norfolk, the Strike School stands as a monument to working class history and education. On 1 April 1914, school children of this small village went out on strike in defence of their respected teachers, which then turned into a 25 year community boycott of both the local Church and official council school.

Teachers Tom and Annie Higdon were appalled by the conditions of employment and housing after they arrived in 1911. They believed in the power of education to transform lives and they sort to encourage the children to think beyond the imposed limits of their conditions. Going well beyond teaching the 3 Rs, the Higdons tried to enrich their pupils with additional education in languages, art, music and even astronomy.

Tom was soon back on his bike cycling around organising the agricultural workers into a union. Within school, Annie treated the children with considerable kindness, often providing treats for them out of her own income.

All this was too progressive for the newly appointed rector of the parish and the farmers that controlled the school management board. And so, after a series of clashes, culminating in Tom leading a group of labourers to victory in the parish council elections, trumped up charges were levelled at Annie that ultimately lead to her and Tom's dismissal from employment.

But the children went on strike, a national fundraising committee was established and the rival 'strike school' was built. Five years later, in a pamphlet written by Annie, she describes what she saw happening; "…thus what began as a strike of school-children on behalf of their teacher… has become a permanent Socialist Educational Cause and Institution (and)… The first trades union school in England'.

In 1984, the school was given a new lease of life as a museum and an annual rally was established to commemorate its legacy. Helping to organise the rally has been an education in itself, and it is only because of a close team, pulling in the same direction, that the event comes together and happens as smoothly as it does.