The memories of the people of the Vale of Glamorgan of the Second World War are to be recorded and preserved at a remarkable local event this summer. Thanks to the award, local historian Dr Jonathan Hicks and a team of interviewers will be able to carry out interviews with local residents at the Wartime Weekend on Barry Waterfront and Barry Island Station this  coming June. The Barry at War History Group will be able to purchase digital recording and video equipment to capture these memories of what life was like for local residents during the period 1939 to 1945.

Commenting on the award, Dr Hicks said: "The Vale of Glamorgan Council is supporting our staging of the Wartime Weekend through funding the costs of running the event. The HLF funding means that we can now go a stage further. We can bring more WW2 vehicles to the event, as well as more re-enactors. This will enable local people to see what life was like during WW2.

"Through the generosity of the HLF we can also leave a lasting legacy of the event by recording interviews with people who lived through the war. We want to find out what their daily lives were like, what they remember of the German bombing raids and how they coped with the arrival of thousands of American troops prior to D-Day.

"These memories will be typed up after the Wartime Weekend and shared with the local community through being displayed in a local venue during the summer. We would be delighted to talk to people on the Saturday and Sunday and have set aside a special room on Barry Island Station for the interviews to take place."

The Wartime Weekend will take place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June at Hood Road and Barry Island Station. It opens at 10am each day. Please visit the website if you wish to book an interview slot.

Further Information

For further information please contact Dr Jonathan Hicks, Finance and Education Officer for the Wartime Weekend on 07708 255 295.