WRITERS are being urged to take part in a national project to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

A Letter to an Unknown Soldier is a new kind of war memorial, one made only of words.

People nationwide are being invited to write a personal letter to the “unknown soldier” who stands on the memorial on platform one of Paddington Station in London.

Bury residents can get involved by attending one of two free writing workshops to support the memorial.

These will take place at the Centre for Cultural Collections (Bury Archives and Local Studies) in Moss Street, Bury, on Saturday, July 12, from 11am to 1pm, and at Prestwich Library on Wednesday, July 16, between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.

The workshops will be led by author Elaine Powell.

Organisers say this is a unique chance for people to be part of a nationwide public artwork, to express their own thoughts and feelings in the anniversary year and to have their work published.

The project will be housed as a national archive in the British Library for future generations. Local work-shops will feature archive material of Bury’s past.

To book a place on either workshop, call 0161 253 6782.or email culture@bury.gov.uk People who cannot attend a workshop can still get involved by:

  • Writing your own letter. Get inspiration from 1418now.org.uk/letter watch the video 1418now.org.uk/letter/about/ and submit your letter online or by post from now until August 4.
  • Reading the letters that have already been submitted on www.1418now.org.uk/letter/letters.
  • Getting others involved. If you’re a teacher or in a group who would like to be part of the project, download the resources to get ideas by logging on to 1418now.org.uk/letter/resources/).
  • Follow the project at twitter.com/LETTER1418 and facebook.com/LETTER1418