The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has launched First World
War: then and now, a £6 million small grants programme to help communities mark
the Centenary of the First World War.
HLF is making at least £1 million available per year for six
years until 2019. It will provide grants between £3,000 and £10,000 enabling
communities and groups right across the UK to explore, conserve and share their
First World War heritage and deepen their understanding of the impact of the
conflict.
Successful projects will include:
- researching,
identifying and recording local heritage
- creating
a community archive or collection
- developing
new interpretation of heritage through exhibitions, trails, smartphone
apps etc
- researching,
writing and performing creative material based on heritage sources
The new programme can also provide funding for the
conservation of war memorials.
HLF has already invested £12 million in projects – large and
small – that will mark the Centenary of First World War. If a group have a
project idea to mark the Centenary of the First World War, an online
application pack is available from the
First World War: then and now page.
If a group needs a grant of more than £10,000 for a First World War project, it
can apply to HLF through its open programmes.
HLF-funded First World War projects
The tragic story of the
Accrington
Pals regiment inspired young people to create a short film about the
Lancashire battalion. The film recounts the attack on Serre in 1916 that
claimed the lives of most of the battalion’s soldiers and the impact on their
families. (Award £11,200)
Volunteers in
Huddersfield are
researching the history of rugby league, in particular the impact the war had
on their local club. They are learning about the life of star team player
Douglas Clark and the recruitment efforts aimed at enlisting rugby players. (Award £99,800)
Local people in the
Wylye
Valley are finding out how this rural community was transformed during
the early months of the First World War when a six mile site of temporary army
camps were set up to train soldiers to fight in France. The largest village in
the valley then had a population of 50, and the influx of trainees totalled
24,000. (Award £18,000)
The
Diamond
War Memorial project revealed that the men commemorated on the
monument in the centre of Derry-Londonderry were from both Unionist and
Nationalist backgrounds. This discovery challenged perceptions about identity,
and the monument itself is now viewed as a shared landmark in the city. (Award £49,800)
Black families in Liverpool have been researching their
roots and uncovering fascinating stories of about how their ancestors were
involved in the First World War. The project will produce a collection of oral
histories and potentially a range of objects and archive material that will
enhance the collection at the new Museum of Liverpool. (Award £10,000)
Lewisham Local History and Archives Centre holds a large range of primary material and resources relating to the First World War, and the boroughs of Deptford and Lewisham during the early part of the 20th century. For further information or discuss how we can support a project please email us at local.studies@lewisham.gov.uk, call us on 020 8297 0682, or drop in and visit.
