Registered charity digital:works is celebrating receiving a grant of £30,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to allow a group of volunteer investigators in Dorchester examine how the leisure-time activities of young people between the ages of 12 – 16 years have changed over the last 40 to 60 years.
Working with Dorset County Museum and the Dorset History Centre, as well as local schools and organisations for older people, including Thomas Hardye School, AgeUK Dorchester and Dorset POPP the project will enable young people to collaborate and share with the older population in a range of activities leading up to a final exhibition, a website and the production of a mobile phone app. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to gain skills in oral history recording and will also learn about archive creation and curation.
Through the mobile phone app digital:works aim to create a “walking museum” around Dorchester, engaging a wider section of the population with the local history of specific sites.
James & Caddy – Funfloats, Canoes and Swan peddle craft, 1955. Copyright with Dorset History Centre.
Joe Stevens, digital:works participation worker, said: “This project will see digital:works work with a wide selection of the community and forge new relationships between young people, their schools, and the local communities. We will be assisting people to record the changing history of their communities to create a rich new archive of material to be stored at Dorset History Centre.”
Commenting on the grant award, Richard Bellamy, HLF’s acting Head of South West said: “Our heritage consists of the many different things from the past that we value and want to preserve for the future, including the cultural traditions and pastimes that enriched the everyday lives and leisure time of previous generations. This fascinating project will highlight and record the step change in leisure activities in the post-war period.”
If you would like further information on this project please contact us.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4 billion across the UK. This includes over £411 million to more than 2,600 projects across the South West. Website: www.hlf.org.uk