In March 2011 The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant of £42,200 to The Big History Project, a new initiative from North East Lincolnshire Council's Library Service. The Big History Project actively involves members of the visually impaired community in making decisions about and contributing to their local heritage. Through reminiscence sessions and oral history recordings, participants will highlight their interests in local history and contribute their memories of life in the area.

There are currently no large print local history materials available for people with visual impairment and it is important that everyone can have access to and can learn about our shared heritage in a format that suits their needs. Popular local history titles will also be recorded into audio format with the help of volunteers at the Synergy Recording Studio, Freeman Street Skills Centre. We will work with local community groups for visually impaired people to make information about our heritage more accessible.We have also set up a Local History Group for visually impaired people which meets on the second Thursday of each month.  Meetings in 2014 are taking place at the Fishing Heritage Centre and at Grimsby Town Hall.  For more information contact Derek O'Connell on 01472 323617 or email derek.o'connell@lincsinspire.com

Fiona Spiers, Head of HLF Yorkshire and the Humber said: "It is important that everyone can learn about their past and understand where they come from. The Big History Project will help local communities to get involved and share their past. It will ensure that all communities feel that their heritage and experience is valued."

All of the resources produced as a result of The Big History Project will help establish a loan collection of large print and audio material for visually impaired people in North East Lincolnshire Council's libraries and will support informal learning opportunities in our community.

Local History Group for people with visual impairment

This group has been set up as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Big History Project aimed at giving people with visual impairments the opportunity to get involved in and contribute to their local history. The meetings are informal and usually include a guest speaker with a variety of themes.
Meetings take place on the second Thursday of the month in the Bremerhaven Room at Grimsby Town Hall from 10am to 12pm

Reminiscence sessions

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded North East Lincolnshire Council Library Service £42,200 to work on The Big History project aimed at increasing access to local history resources for the visually impaired community and for people with dementia. The Project promotes participation in our shared heritage and these reminiscence sessions are designed to encourage participation and the sharing of memories. Each reminiscence session will focus on a specific theme.