They will explore the history and heritage of the city through activities that will coincide with the Preston Guild celebrations throughout 2012.
 

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has worked closely with Preston Council to create new opportunities for local people to get involved in learning about, and celebrating, the diverse heritage of Preston.

In all, 15 projects have been supported through HLF’s Your Heritage programme, with each being awarded up to £10,000 to carry out their activities.

On of the projects, ‘Fox Street Trotting’ led by Your Prescap, the Preston community arts organisation which will explore the heritage of the nine Preston Guilds, whilst the Preston Black History Group will be leading an oral history project looking at the African and Caribbean communities experiences of the Preston Guild in 1972 and 1992. The group will also record new stories and memories as a living history of the upcoming 2012 guild year.

Karen Ziesler, Development Manager at Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “We at HLF were delighted with the response from local organisations, although this did make competition for funds quite tough. The Preston Guild plays an important role in the history of the city and through supporting these projects we will help provide new opportunities for people from across the city explore every aspect of Preston’s heritage. We are looking forward to see how they progress – it looks like it is going to be a really exciting year for Preston!”

Councillor Peter Rankin, Leader of Preston City Council, said: “Preston City Council is delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded this grant funding to our local communities. Not only will it ensure  these groups have the opportunity to learn about their local heritage through their Guild themed projects, but the funding will also enable local Preston residents to get involved in quality learning and participation activities, whilst creating a legacy for future generations to enjoy.”

The Community Gateway Association (CGA) is one organisations supported by HLF as part of the Preston Guild celebrations. They have received £7,000 for “Hot Pot an All”, a fascinating project where CGA will work with communities across Preston to create a cookbook that will focus on the lost recipes of Lancashire.

Cooking workshops will also take place bringing young and old together, passing on traditional skills and teaching them the knowledge of how the recipes have developed over the years.

Robin Ridgley, Communications Manager at Community Gateway Association, said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund to create “Hot Pot an All”. We are confident that this project will bring the generations together creating a lasting legacy that will capture fantastic recipes that might have been lost.”

Another project to be funded through the scheme is “People, Parades & Pageants”. Through this, ABLAZE youth group will look at the experiences of local people in relation to recent Guild celebrations alongside researching past guild traditions, focusing on how teenage life, celebrations and entertainment has changed over the years.

Lorraine May, ABLAZE youth leader, said: “Hearing that we are to receive this support from HLF is absolutely fantastic news for our group. We do not receive any regular funding, so this award means that we can open up a raft of new opportunities and provide a better experience for the young people involved.

"We are also very fortunate to have the Museum of Lancashire as our heritage partner as their expertise will enable us to work closely across all Lancashire County Cultural Services. With lots of opportunities to learn new skills and have fun along the way - including being part of the Guild processions - this support will also enable us to go out into the community and involve others, creating a very special Guild experience that will become part of our heritage for future generations.”

The full list of projects supported can be found on the HLF website, and their progress will be documented here throughout the year ahead.

Karen Ziesler added: “Although this particular scheme has now closed, we are always happy to hear from people and organisations who have ideas for projects that will conserve or get people involved in their local heritage. All the information about our funding programmes can be found on our website, and we hope that through the work that is being done in Preston, people will be inspired to look at their own heritage and how this can be preserved for future generations.”

Further information

Please contact Roland Smith, Communications Manager at the Heritage Lottery Fund on rolands@hlf.org.uk or 020 7591 6047 / 07973 402 854.