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STAG gets £9,600 Heritage Lottery Grant for Silloth Airfield Heritage Project

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STAG gets £9,600 Heritage Lottery Grant for Silloth Airfield Heritage Project
Photo: Gordon Akitt Archives.

Sharing Heritage: Silloth: The Impact of War – Silloth Tourism Action Group (STAG) celebrates £9,600 Heritage Lottery Fund grant

‘Silloth: The Impact of World War 2’

This project will be led by Silloth Tourism Action Group (STAG), who have been awarded £9,600 for a project to research the history of Silloth Airfield and community memories of the town’s wartime years. The aim is to preserve this rich information for the Town and future generations. Volunteers from the community will participate in the project and will gather information from local people who recall memories of the time, They will also look at

  • how Silloth accommodated the many airmen who arrived in the town during World War 2
  • the supply of local services and development of a new infrastructure,
  • what aircraft were used,
  • how pilots were trained,
  • air accidents and what became known as the ‘bodies on the beach’,
  • decommissioning of the aircraft and the legacy of the airfield, eg. the arrival of new businesses and the impact on the local economy.

After suitable training, volunteers will help produce multi-media and a short film. A small museum area will also be set up to hold some war-time artefacts and illustrate the town’s journey through the war years. In addition, community workshops will be held to discuss the findings and the project will culminate in a performance drama on Silloth Green to celebrate the town’s rich wartime heritage. The initiative is an exciting one that will acknowledge the importance of Silloth airfield during the last world war and its impact on the local community over the years.

Information and Contact Details:

For further information about the project, or to provide information about a wartime experience in Silloth, offer images (will be copied and returned) and/or arrange interviews so we can capture your story, please contact Anna Malina. eMail: anna.malina@silloth-on-solway.co.uk  Office Tel: 016973 31816; or a member of STAG.

About Silloth Tourism Action Group (STAG)

STAG works inclusively and in partnership with others to promote and regenerate tourism in Silloth. Supplementing the many events already run by dedicated community organisers in Silloth, STAG are striving to organise new events and are also exploring tourism opportunities offered by the town’s long and extremely rich heritage. The group strives to work closely with Silloth Town Council and other organisations to achieve common aims.

Sharing Heritage

Sharing Heritage is for any not-for-profit group wanting to explore their community’s heritage. With a commitment from HLF of £3m each year, Sharing Heritage grants between £3,000 and £10,000 are available to groups who want to discover their local heritage. Projects can cover a wide spectrum of subject matter from exploring local archaeology and a community’s cultures and traditions to identifying and recording local wildlife and protecting the surrounding environment to managing and training volunteers, and holding festivals and events to commemorate the past.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. 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 almost 36,000 projects with £5.9bn across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk. Images available on request.