NORTH Ayrshire Council and Irvine Burns Club have received £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a joint project, Forever Nineteen, in North Ayrshire.

Awarded through HLF’s First World War: then and now programme, the project will focus on connecting local people, especially young people, with the poignant sacrifice of the First World War.

The aim is to bring to life the stories behind the names on local war memorials, adding relevance for local people in the vast array of national programmes.

The project also hopes to involve local people; promote local studies, library services and add to the knowledge base of service participants.

The title has been chosen to help young people, in particular, connect with the youthfulness of the young combatants.

Volunteers will collect and preserve photographs, newspaper clippings, documents, letters and photos of keepsakes, as well as family tales passed down to help them build a clearer picture of what life was really like like a century ago as local young people went off to war.

The exhibition will be touring local venues between now and 2018 and all the information collected will be carefully recorded and preserved for North Ayrshire Council’s heritage collection.

With help from the Heritage Centre, the information gathered will be digitally recorded and an on-line interactive archive will be created where everyone can access and contribute information.

The archive will allow the public to discuss, contribute, share and research information about about the local people, their hardships and sacrifices in what was supposed to be “The war to end all wars”.

Cllr Alan Hill, Depute Council Leader said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to discover and record local history.

“We are hoping to help young people to appreciate the sheer scale of the local involvement in WWI and what it meant for individuals and families.

“I hope local people will be encouraged to share information and memorabilia or to find out more about the names on our war memorials.

Colin McLean, Head of HLF Scotland, said: “The First World War changed the face of modern history touching the lives of everyone in this country and beyond. HLF has committed to funding a variety of projects, from organisations large and small, that will create a deeper understanding of the heritage of the conflict.

“We have already supported over £35m of projects from across the United Kingdom and will continue to support as many applications as we can afford that want to commemorate the centenary.”