£30,000 grant for local wartime trust

The Kennet Valley at War Trust’s collection, based in a small museum within Littlecote House, near Hungerford, ranges from a three-ton Sherman tank turret to part of a German Heinkel 111 bomber’s wing.
There are also British, Canadian and American military uniforms, photographs, helmets and badges.
The trust has received £30,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to conserve and enhance the artefacts, which will be used in a project focusing on the history of the Kennet Valley during the conflict.
The project will be run by Trust members and volunteers from Newbury College and Ramsbury Primary School.
Project spokesman Tim Green said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and are confident the project will help young people and the wider community better understand and take pride in their local heritage.”
The project will enable young people to research, photograph and digitise the artefacts to create a new website.
It will also create a new education pack, which will be distributed to 250 schools in North Wiltshire, West Berkshire and Swindon, the development of three walks exploring the Kennet Valley’s war time archaeology and a series of workshops.
Newbury College’s interactive media course leader Julian Bellmont said: “The project is of enormous educational benefit to the students, enabling them to get actively involved in the local community.”
Head of Heritage Lottery Fund South East, Stuart McLeod, said: “The Trust’s collection reflects many different aspects of civilian and military life along the valley during the Second World War and we’re pleased to support this project which will create a lasting legacy of the local community’s wartime memory.”