VITAL funding has been secured to pave the way for an exciting 'Bury Remembers the First World War' project.

The Centre for Cultural Collections (CfCC), formerly Bury Archives and Family History Service, has received £60,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the initiative.

Led by CfCC staff and volunteers from the local community, the project focuses on the extensive historical content held within several local newspapers which were printed during the war.

The project will involve extracting poetry, local stories, photographs, servicemen’s obituaries and other local information which will be used to produce various publications and an online database.

The newspapers for 1914-1919 no longer exist as hard copies and are not currently available online, which means that the work of this project will provide unique access to a wealth of local history for the first time.

There will be many opportunities for volunteers to become involved as well as online resources, exhibitions, publications and events for children and adults which will use the fascinating and previously neglected newspaper content.

It will enable a worldwide audience to access the history of the people of Bury as they lived and died from 1914 to 1919 as told in the words of local reporters, residents and soldiers.

Borough archivist Gilli Paxton said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and are confident that the project will help people of all ages from Bury and surrounding areas to discover and get an unseen insight into what life was like both at home and overseas during World War One.”

Head of the HLF in the North West, Sara Hilton, said: “World War One touched every corner of the UK and beyond and was a defining moment in 20th century history.

"Opening up these currently hidden archives, and making them available to all, will create a dynamic digital legacy that future generations can look back on.

"It’s so important that these local stories, like those from Bury, are not forgotten and this project will help make sure that that doesn’t happen.”