12/01/2004

Lottery funding aids schools' WWII history lessons

The New Opportunities Fund today launched National Lottery funding to enable Northern Ireland pupils to learn about the experiences of veterans of the Second World War.

The scheme, 'Their Past – Your Future', is a UK-wide schools and education project which is being developed by the Imperial War Museum.

The project will enable school children to research and learn about personal experiences and roles played by forces personnel and civilians in ensuring British security during the Second World War.

It features a competition for schools with prizes of Second World War related visits with veterans. The scheme also includes the development of a website D-Day and Beyond (www.d-dayandbeyond.org) which will support curriculum learning, exhibitions, publications, a wide range of partner projects delivered by museums across the UK and a collection on written, recorded and photographic materials and artefacts.

Breidge Gadd, the New Opportunities Fund’s Board Member in Northern Ireland said: “This is the first part of our Veterans reunited programme to commemorate the momentous events 60 years ago which led to victory in the Second World War.

"The Imperial War Museum is well placed to lead this scheme and enhance the knowledge and understanding across generations of our shared history and the part played by our veterans.”

The New Opportunities Fund is working closely with veteran’s organisations and other partners to ensure the project builds inter-generational learning relationships in schools and communities across the UK.

(MB)

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