Youths to research local war heroes

SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE. Pictured at the launch of the First World War School Project on Thursday at Riada House along with Mayor Cllr Billl Kennedy are members from the Ballymoney & District Cultural & Heritage Society, Sammy McClements, Noel Anderson, Jack Anderson, Heather Anderson, Ivan Morrow, Irene Stewart, Craig Beldrey and Jackie Black along with Angela Mulholland and Lyn McAfee from Ballymoney Community Resource Centre. Also included is Corporate Services Manager, Liz Johnston.INBM47-14 061SC.

The project will be remembering residents from Ballymoney and the wider district that fought in the First World War.

One part of the project is focused on helping young people to learn more about the war and the local soldiers that served and died. Pupils from twenty schools in the town and district will research the personal stories behind the names listed on the three war memorials. Each pupil will research the soldier’s life and create a short story from what they have uncovered.

With over 300 names listed on the memorials the young people will have a wealth of heritage to explore and will gain a picture of the large number of local people who played an active role in the war and how many local families were affected.

Working alongside community groups, the young people will also participate in workshops with a local historian and visit the Somme Heritage Centre to learn about the First World War.

The project team are keen that everyone within the Borough can learn more about the impacts of the First World War which touched every aspect of community life. They will pull all the information gathered together into a range of resources such as an education pack, commemorative book, DVD etc. They will also be adding the completed project to the First World War central hub on the Historypin website, placing it alongside thousands of others and making it easy for people to find and join in.

Project Co-Ordinator, Sammy McClements, commented: “It is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to come together, to help them understand the war and uncover its stories. We were thrilled to receive the Heritage Lottery Fund support for the project which will highlight the contributions made by different social and cultural groups to the war leading to a shared understanding of our First World War history.”

Paul Mullan, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund NI added “This is an interesting local project that is supporting young people to research and learn more about the local impacts of the First World War. We will look forward to reading the stories that the young people produce. HLF is funding community groups right across the UK to tell their First World War stories and together they are helping us to understand the complex legacy of the war.”