Awarded through HLF’s First World War: then and now programme, the project will focus on the restoration and regilding of the Roll of Honour on the west wall of the church, together with recording and ordering the details of the lives and families of as many of the men on the roll as possible.

To mark the centenary of the First World War, the project, as well as ensuring the preservation of this magnificent physical monument to the heroism of those who died, will also enable local people to come together to preserve the memories and the heritage of them and their families. Volunteers will collect photos, newspaper clippings, documents, letters, family memories etc, will create exhibitions, and will bring people together in community events linked to the project. With help from professionals, the information gathered will be digitally recorded and an online archive created. All this should help to bring alive to people of all ages the experiences and sacrifices of a generation of young men 1914-18, and the sufferings of their families.

Commenting on the award, Tricia Griffiths, Chair of the Friends, said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and can now go ahead confidently with our extensive plans for this project. We have agreed, as our share of the project, to contribute at least £2,000 pounds, so our fundraising efforts, though fractionally less urgent, will be unabated.”

Explaining the importance of the HLF support, the Head of  HLF in Wales, Jennifer Stewart, said: “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. The Heritage Lottery Fund has already invested more than £47million in projects – large and small - that are marking this global Centenary; with our new small grants programme, we are enabling even more communities like those involved in St Augustine’s Roll of Honour project to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help local young people in particular to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”

Notes to Editors

About the Friends of St Augustine’s Penarth
The Friends were launched in November 2012. Their primary aim is to preserve the structure of this magnificent church (one of William Butterfield’s finest creations) and the many remarkable artefacts within it. They are also very keen to establish the building once more as a centre for the whole of the local community. There are now more than 200 members, some of them being churchgoing parishioners, and others being either members of the local community (which has always had a regard for what it calls “Top Church”), or keen architectural enthusiasts. The committee reflects these varied groups. The monumental WWI Roll of Honour covering the west wall of the church, which is in dire need of restoration, is one of the first projects to be taken up by the Friends.

Follow us on twitter:
@HLFCymru
#understandingWW1 #deallRB1
 

Further information

For further information please contact Tricia Griffiths, Chair of Friends of St Augustine’s Penarth, on 029 2070 7828, email: triciagriffiths65@yahoo.co.uk.