Kent in WW1: people, places and events

Kent in WW1: people, places and events

Man being interviewed for a filmed oral history

Heritage Grants

Folkestone, Kent, South East
Shepway
Screen South
£99900
Screen South used an HLF grant to create an online resource revealing the history of coastal Kent in the First World War and connecting communities with their past.

Based in Folkestone, Screen South is a creative development agency delivering and supporting innovative projects across the cultural and creative industries.

Kent in WW1 focused on the pivotal role played by the Kent coast in the First World War, an area which saw major upheaval as the departure point for men and materials on their way to France. Centring on 15 key towns along the coast, Screen South created a dedicated website to serve as a single access point for stories, events and photographs. The project helped to reconnect local communities with their past, as well as linking the work of local history groups and enthusiasts across the region.

The success of the website was complemented by education and public outreach programmes. One hundred and one separate workshops with 8,350 students introduced young people across the region to the heritage through the cartoon characters Rose and Joe, imaginary civilians living in Kent at the start of the war. 

Live events also ran throughout the project, which helped to connect with over 7,000 members of the public - gathering stories for the Kent WW1 website.

The website has become a regional hub for anyone interested in researching the First World War in Kent, and demonstrates how the impact of a grant can extend well beyond the life of a project, achieving sustainability through building networks.

A project participant said: "I have been so pleased to be able to remember and honour my father and his family in the place where they lived."