A church has scooped £5,500 of lottery cash to help tell the stories of local members of the Armed Forces who died in World War One.

The award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) will allow All Saints’ Church in Whitefield to stage a Great War centenary open day on Saturday, September 13, from 10am onwards.

The event is linked to the church’s Telling the Stories project, focusing on those who lost their lives in World War One and whose names are listed in the graveyard or on the Whitefield War Memorial.

The open day in Church Lane will include a self-guided grave trail, guided tours, activities for children, an exhibition of memorabilia and artefacts from the Great War donated by local people, refreshments and music.

The Rev Alison Hardy, Rector of All Saints’, said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, enabling us to hold this important event which is part of the National Heritage Open Day scheme.

“Telling the Stories will help us all remember and give thanks for the lives of those local men who died in World War One by bringing to life real events and their effect on real people in this community.

“Many volunteers have contributed to the project and we look forward to welcoming lots of people to All Saints’ on September 13.”

North West head of the HLF, Sara Hilton, said: “With our new small grants programme, we are enabling even more communities like those involved in Whitefield to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help local people to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”