Inspired by interest in the First World War Centenary, the Brampton Museum recruited and trained volunteers to research the impact of the conflict on Newcastle-under-Lyme. Working with historians and a local high school, the volunteers researched the names of those who died in the conflict as listed in the parish book of remembrance.

This project has been incredibly successful with new audiences learning about their history.

Teresa Mason, Museum Manager

Collection events invited local people to bring in from their attics wartime photographs, artefacts and documents to ensure they would be preserved for the future. These donations formed the centrepiece of a touring exhibition which connected new audiences with the museum and their First World War heritage. Finally, costumed actors brought to life the letters from soldiers to their families and other documents in a battlefront and home front film.

Teresa Mason, Museum Manager, said: “This project has been incredibly successful with new audiences learning about their history. The exhibition is still being used by local groups to enhance their community events; the collection has inspired two pieces of public art and the volunteers have remained to undertake future exhibition research for the museum and create an interactive touch-screen display.”