Sharing Heritage:  Lincs Inspire Ltd Library Service wins National Lottery support

Thanks to National Lottery players local residents in North East Lincolnshire will reconnect with their past by using historical maps and heritage artefacts to revive memories.

Lincs Inspire Libraries has secured a £7,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the “On our Street: mapping our memories project” and will work with residents of care settings, members of local support organisations, the elderly, carers and people with learning disabilities.

Local mixed media artist Nicky Dillerstone will lead creative workshops using historical maps from the Local History Collection in Grimsby Library, Street and Trade Directories, artefacts and census returns. With many streets no longer in existence these resources will help to trigger memories of where people grew up, where they married, places and streets close to their hearts, all serving to create a sense of place and identity.

The project will build on and develop the previous Threads of the Past project which proved a very successful format combining historical artefacts, heritage and creativity.

Commenting on the award, Jennie Cartwright, said: “It’s great that we have been awarded this grant and we can’t wait to get started. This project will enable us to work in more care settings and with a wider range of people to help them learn more about where they live and local history, share their memories and develop creative skills.  We are all really excited about starting this project at our first venue in May which will be St Andrew’s Hospice”.

Working in a maximum of six care settings, each programme will be delivered over a 9-week period to include training sessions for volunteers and care setting staff, a series of creative workshops, a reminiscence session hosted by professional reminiscence worker Christine Motley and music from local group Next of the Summer Wine who perform songs based on our local history.

The end results of the project will include a fabric hanging of a street map that is non-specific to any particular town or village but that project participants can create as their own by making 3D houses, shops and buildings - a street 'of their own time'. The artwork will be retained by the care settings and will be used as a resource for future activities.

The On our Street project will be commencing in May 2017 at St Andrew's Hospice and the second venue for the project will be Strand Court, starting in September 2017.  Further information will be posted as the project evolves at each venue.

For more information about On our Street: mapping our memories, contact Derek O'Connell 01472 323617  derek.o'connell@lincsinspire.com