A Dagenham print company has launched a yearbook to help schoolchildren hold onto memories made during the coronavirus lockdown.

The yearbook — titled When We Were Apart — is the brainchild of Where The Trade Buys, which wanted to create a concept that would help preserve significant moments in a year where so many have been lost.

Coronavirus has disrupted life beyond measure, with children deprived of seeing their friends and of enjoying days out.

With this yearbook the company – based at Thames Gateway Park, Chequers Lane – wants to offer a positive balance.

It wants to showcase the flickers of joy, and commemorate the stories of inspiration and creativity that schoolchildren have provided throughout this pandemic.

To get involved, schools can simply collect their pupils’ creations and send them to Where The Trade Buys, which will professionally print, bound and return the books for distribution to parents.

Given that many children remain out of the classroom, this can be done when they return to school.

Company CEO Gary Peeling said: “A When We Were Apart Yearbook is the perfect way to collect precious memories of this time and treasure them for years to come.

“We wanted to make sure there is plenty of flexibility in the design, so that each school can create something completely unique!

“Kids are missing their friends, teachers, missing school activities, and are wanting to express themselves however they can.”

Keen to emphasise the role that children have played during this difficult period, Gary believes they deserve a memento: “We have a lot to thank our children and students for.”

This is not the Dagenham firm’s first initiative; earlier in the pandemic, Where The Trade Buys also teamed up with Prime Group to produce face masks for NHS essential workers, as well as creating a range of paper clappers to bolster support for the nationwide Clap for our Carers.

To learn more about the yearbook, visit this link.