School children bury a time capsule at a Bognor Regis housing development

The capsule was buried on Tuesday, December 7, at Bersted Park, Berkeley’s development of homes in North Bersted.

After months of planning and deliberation, the children were joined by their deputy headteacher Mrs Ali Powell and teacher Mrs Helen Reynolds, alongside Ben Annetts, sales and marketing director from Berkeley, to safely bury the capsule at the site.

The 12 children – from the school council – gathered together engaging stories and artefacts from the present day and safely placed them in the time capsule, ready to be rediscovered by future students in 25 years’ time.

The capsule was buried in the Italian Gardens within the grounds at Bersted Park, and can be found by a plaque that reads:

Bartons Primary School

Time capsule buried in 2021

To be opened in 2046

Presented by Berkeley

Kate Powell, headteacher at Bartons Primary School, said: “Collecting the contents for the time capsule has been a fascinating project for the children at Bartons and their families.

“Everyone has enjoyed reflecting on life in 2021, at home with their families and at school.

“The children have also captured how our lives had to change when the pandemic hit.

“There are some really interesting documents and artefacts sealed inside that I am sure will be fascinating to unearth in 2046.”

The children were lucky enough to dig the hole and bury the capsule.

Students Joey and Brooklyn, in Year 6, said: “The time capsule project has been a very exciting thing to be a part of.

“It is cool that our school was chosen to do it.

“We have included lots of sensible things about our daily lives but also a few amusing things because life in 2021 is good fun.”

Ben Annetts, sales and marketing director at Berkeley, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Bartons Primary School on this unique project.

“We built the school as part of our Bersted Park development, so it is great to work with the children at the school on such a momentous piece of work.

“At Berkeley, we actively look to engage with local communities on projects like this and the fact that the time capsule will be here for the next generation at Bersted Park to discover is most exciting.

“A huge thank you and well done to all of the children and teachers that have worked so hard in putting everything together for this time capsule.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how much will have changed in the next 25 years.”