a grant of £20,700 has been awarded to Westbury Heritage Society from the Heritage Lottery Fund to undertake an exciting research project. The funding will provide volunteers with the skills and knowledge to undertake historical and archaeological research across sites in Wiltshire. The WHAT project – the Westbury History and Archaeological Tour – will research 12 important sites and train members of the society and the local community in the use of a series of non-invasive techniques to further investigate the chosen areas, including aerial photography, geophysics, archive resources and maps. The information collected through the project will be presented to the community of Westbury at the Westbury Heritage and Visitor Centre in user-friendly and informative ways including a video guide, an exhibition and a virtual 3D model of how one of the sites may have looked originally.Research will be carried out at the centre and volunteers will be helped by a series of talks and training events, as well as trips to the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham and English Heritage’s National Monument Records archive in Swindon. The results of their investigations will be presented in the form of a digital presentation. This permanent resource, based at the Heritage and Visitor Centre, will also be fully portable and available on loan to community groups and organisations.Keith Miller, chairman of the society said, “We’re very excited about this proactive project, which will put Westbury’s heritage on the map and involve an enthusiastic band of local people.”Commenting on the grant award, the Heritage Lottery Fund’s acting head of southwest, Richard Bellamy said, “In recent years there has been a rise in popular interest in archaeology, particularly for smaller community-led initiatives such as the WHAT project. We at the Heritage Lottery Fund are delighted to be able to support and foster this enthusiasm, enabling local volunteers to learn the skills needed to rediscover their own past and open it up for others to enjoy.”Anyone wishing to be involved in the project should contact the society on 01373 864166 or email westburyheritage@hotmail.co.uk. There will also be a meeting to launch the project on Monday 26th March at 10.00am at the Heritage and Visitor Centre in Westbury High Street, which is open to everyone.
EndsNotes to editorsAbout Westbury Heritage SocietyWestbury Heritage Society was formed in 1992 by a group of people intent on preserving the town’s heritage for future generations. Since then the Society has collected photographs and artefacts which have been kindly lent or donated by the people of Westbury and which reflect the history, culture and heritage of the town. In 2004 the Society was able to open the Visitor and Heritage Centre as a place to highlight the rich local history and house the Society‘s collection. About the Heritage Lottery FundUsing money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported over 30,000 projects, allocating £4.6billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.ukFor further information, images and interviews, please contact Liz Argent, Secretary at Westbury Heritage Society on 01373 822662 or lizargent@live.co.uk
