Led by volunteers from the local community the project focuses on commemorating the young men from Grimsby and Cleethorpes who signed up to fight in the First World War as Grimsby Chums, a battallion of men whose first active battle was at the Somme.

The project will enable local young people to discover who these Grimsby Chums were and what their role was in the Great War and why they fought for their country. The young people will be presenting their findings in a variety of media including a war memorial map and short documentary movie about the Grimsby Chums.

Synergy Grimsby CIC is an organisation that works with young people and the wider community to help them learn through developing media and communication skills and will support at least 30 young people from the North East Lincolnshire area to get involved with this project. Working in partnership with the Civic Society, North East Lincolnshire Library and Archives Services, Fusion Youth Theatre, YMCA and Focus 7, participants will gain a deeper insight into this previously under represented part of local history and heritage. The project will also teach the young people valuable new communciation, project management and heritage skills that can be used to develop their employment prospects.

Commenting on the award Claire Wollington, Project Manager, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for our First World War Project. We felt it was necessary to mark the 100 year anniversary of the outbreak of First World War in 2014 with a project that would engage young people today in understanding what the young people of 1914 had to experience. We are confident that our project will not only support young people to be active citizens that take pride in their town’s heritage but also help them to reflect on the sacrifices that young people made back in 1914.”

Fiona Spiers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Every area has its own stories of their involvement in the First World War at home and abroad. By investigating the Grimsby Chums and their contribution young people will learn about the impact of the war on their local area and will help raise awareness of the battalion across North East Lincolnshire.”

Synergy Grimsby CIC will be launching their “Your Country Needs You(th)” project on Friday 7th June at 6pm at the Skills Centre, Freeman Street Market in Grimsby. The evening will consist of a presentation from the young people involved in the project and the Civic society and also a showing of the Grimsby Chums film presented by Gordon Smith.

Synergy would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who would like to be involved in this exciting project and invite them to the launch event to find out more about the project and register your interest.

Further information

Claire Wollington on 01472 483 141 or claire@synergygrimsby.co.uk