The first part of their journey is coming to an end, and their discoveries are going to be recognised at a celebratory finale at the Edge in Digbeth, home of Friction Arts and one of Birmingham’s most exciting creative hubs.

As part of Birmingham Heritage Week, young people, youth groups and heritage organisations from across the West Midlands will come together to celebrate the work of the campaign, the young co-creators, and the projects supported by HLF under the Young Roots programme. A night of live performance, films and awards will take place, with five projects nominated for recognition for their successes over the last two years.

[quote=Rochaé, Routes2Roots co-creator]"Creativity is what drives Routes2Roots and I think we’ve really had a voice with this campaign."[/quote]

Rochaé, one of the young co-creators working on the campaign, said: “Creativity is what drives Routes2Roots and I think we’ve really had a voice with this campaign and we’ve taken on big decisions - HLF gave us the opportunity to take the reins.”

The campaign has been a real success at breaking down age barriers, getting people talking about the heritage that’s important to them - whether that’s the history of their local area, the heritage of music in Birmingham or the story of a local sports team. However most importantly, the campaign has been about letting people know that money from National Lottery players can help bring these amazing stories to life. As a result of Routes2Roots, more groups have contacted the HLF team to talk about potential Young Roots projects than ever before.

HLF has grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 available as part of their Young Roots programme to help 11-25 year olds lead heritage projects. Visit the Young Roots programme page to find out more and apply.

There are still opportunities to get involved and find out more. Follow @HLFRoutes2Roots on Twitter for meet ups, content and videos.