AS the countdown to this year's Black Country Festival celebrations begin, young people are being invited to get involved through a school champions campaign.

Wollaston’s Ridgewood High School has risen to the challenge and will host Black Country themed lessons for all their students.

Alongside the lessons, a week-long competition will aim to understand ‘a young person’s view of the Black Country’ and encourage students to create poems, artwork, collages and creative work to do with the Black Country.

Bev Hodt, assistant head teacher, said: “We think that it is important that our students not only understand their heritage, but also for them to explore what living in the Black Country means to them and how it will look in the future.”

Steve Edwards, chairman of the Black Country Festival, said: “It’s great to see so many young people wanting to celebrate the festival this year. The involvement of the whole community is really going to improve the celebrations.”

“By teaching the younger members of our community about the history, heritage and past of the Black Country, we can cement the celebrations.”

A packed programme of events will feature in this year's Black Country Festival including a beer day, a 10km run and a variety of sports events which are scheduled on dates throughout July to celebrate Black Country Day, on July 14.

For more information on all events in the festival visit www.black-country-festival.co.uk