Their War, Our History!
A grant was received from the Neighbourhood Budgets of Belmont County Councillors to fund a World War 1 Project entitled “Their War, Our History.” Additional funding was received from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project Steering Group, led by Patrick Conway, organised a series of events and projects:
- First Shots War Talk and Social Event
- Primary Schools Summer Holiday Programme
- Lights Out Evening
- Summer Fair
- Belmont Duke of Edinburgh Award WW1 Project
- Laurel Avenue Primary School “Tea Club” WW1 Project
- Gilesgate Community Centre WW1 Project for young people
- Grand Day Out to Beamish Museum to see the Durham Pals and WW1 Commemorative Displays
- War Memorial Presentations from local Children and Young People
Tea Party for Older Residents in Belmont - Year 7 Students from Belmont Community School “Christmas Day Truce” Performance
- Tea Party for Older Residents in Gilesgate
- “Muddy choir”
- 2 Youth Group visit
- ‘Would Ye Gan’ Entertainment Recruitment Evening
- A Ladies Day out to Newcastle Discovery Museum to take part in a WW1 Cookery Workshop
- Work with Belmont D of E Group reflecting on WW1 and the local men who were involved in the conflict
- ‘Valentines Tea Party’ for 42 local residents planned and organised by young women from Belmont D of E Award Group. Entertainment included and old Photographs Quiz, a display of 1916 Love Letters, WW1 themed picture bingo and a lucky ticket.
- An Intergenerational Project with local ladies and adults with special educational needs working together researching recipes and menus from WW1 and putting together a recipe leaflet for others to use.
- A WW1 Café with displays, music and authentic food from the era for local residents to come together and enjoy.
- A visit to Beamish Museum for 5 local youth groups for children age 11-15 years to take part in a ‘Call to War’ Education Activity.
- Supporting a local youth group to take part in a performance at the Sage in Gateshead. The group looked at recruitment in WW1 and put together a 20 minute piece including drama and song showing local lads joining up in WW1 and young women encouraging them.
- Somme Remembrance Evening with readings, song and reflection for everyone in the local community.
- Armistice Party
- Work with disabled young adults looking at the names of the men on the local war memorial and making remembrance tags to be displayed on a ‘prayer tree’ at the local church.
- Composition of a ‘Belmont Anthem’ to be showcased at a performance at Belmont Parish Hall
- Ladies Evening looking at the role of women in WW1
Primary School Activity Day for local Year 6 young people to take part in workshops in partnership with the DLI Museum outreach programme.
House plaques to commemorate the fallen on houses where they were former residents
WW1 Research Group
A research group met regularly to look at historic events and local information from WW1 which was used to publish a bi-monthly newspaper, put together displays for events and produce resources to use with children and young people. The Belmont War Memorial booklet was re-printed.
