Tom Morgan Posted 5 July , 2013 Share Posted 5 July , 2013 Last night I was discussing how my local authority might commemorate the Centenary. I was shown some examples of Lottery Heritage Fund grants. One was to a youth drama/dance group, who asked for a grant to research the lives of the 11 men named on a small war memorial in the building which the group uses. (It was formerly a chapel). They were awarded a grant of £23,000 - that's more than £2,000 per name. This seems over-generous to me and I wonder whether or not other forum members would agree. Tom PS - I think the project itself - getting young people to discover the real lives behind the names on a memorial, thus enlivening the memorial for the future - is most worthy. It's just the size of the award that made me wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 5 July , 2013 Share Posted 5 July , 2013 That does sound like a phenomal amount for the work involved. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 5 July , 2013 Share Posted 5 July , 2013 Without more information on how precisely the money is to be spent (which presumably they had to supply ot HLF to obtain the grant) I wouldn't like to judge. If it really was just for "research" into those names it owuld seem a lot, but given the nature of the group I would be slightly surprised if there were not to be some piece of drama coming out of it as well, and if that involves professional writer/director etc that would soon account for a decent proportion of that money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 5 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2013 Good points, David. The information I saw came from the Heritage Lottery Fund itself though, and I would have thought that if a performance was one of the outcomes, the details would have mentioned this. Other award details do indeed refer to writing/performing dramatic pieces as part of the projects, but these awards are much less than the £23,000 I referred to in the original post. Incidentally, the Heritage Lottery Fund details for the award refer only to a youth group, without any reference to what the group does. There is no reference at all to the group's interest in theatre/dance. I added that information, having looked up the group's details this morning. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveBrigg Posted 10 July , 2013 Share Posted 10 July , 2013 If you look in more detail at the HLF website you will see for some examples a breakdown of the costs. Is the project to which you refer? http://www.hlf.org.u...px#.Ud0euDuoq8A Our school is in the process of completing a bid; at first the figure was quite small, but the local museum now want us to produce a video to be shown as part of their centenary exhibition and to support the work of the researcher they will be employing. When visits to sites of interest and the National Archives are taken into account, as well as professional help with editing, I was shocked at how quickly the cost increased. Like most people here I've self-funded research so far, but the result of this is a bulging ring binder and a large collection of computer files which are of little benefit to anyone else. One result of our project at least is that there are 12 volunteer students who are learning the research skills and enthusiasm which will hopefully encourage them to continue with this as a hobby or job long after the centenary has passed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 10 July , 2013 Share Posted 10 July , 2013 I tried and got nowhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 10 July , 2013 Share Posted 10 July , 2013 Tend to agree with you Tom. Are they proposing some kind of Strictly Come Memorialising event? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 11 July , 2013 Share Posted 11 July , 2013 I tried and got nowhere! What was the problem? I am considering a bid - it would be as good to know what failed as what succeeded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 What was the problem? I am considering a bid - it would be as good to know what failed as what succeeded. Well Phil I put in for funding to do cross community commemoration in Northern Ireland. All I got back was a one liner "We are already funding projects for 1914-2014". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 Tom It seems like an extremely generous grant. Which, to be blunt, could have funded several similar commemoration projects in the locality. As you know I have researched nearly 3000 men commemorated on Stockport's war memorials. I've done that happily at my own expense, along with funding the professioanlyl designed and managed website which displays the information. My main research costs have involved several trips to the National Archives - total costs, between 2004 and 2008, were in the region of several hundreds of pounds - I doubt whether it cost me a grand, let alone 23 grand. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 Well Phil I put in for funding to do cross community commemoration in Northern Ireland. All I got back was a one liner "We are already funding projects for 1914-2014". Bizarre - sounds like just the sort of thing they would go for. Was someone else already doing something very similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 It seems like an extremely generous grant. Which, to be blunt, could have funded several similar commemoration projects in the locality. As you know I have researched many hundreds of men commemorated on Stockport's war memorials. I've done that happily at my own expense, along with funding the professioanlyl designed and managed website which displays the information. My main research costs have involved several trips to the National Archives - total costs, between 2004 and 2008, were in the region of several hundreds of pounds - I doubt whether it cost me a grand, let alone 23 grand. I have also been researching out of my own pocket - but I suspect it has cost more than a grand if you count up all the expenses that could be claimed under a grant (online subscriptions, certificates, travel costs to archives, copying costs, website and domain name costs) and that's before you claim for a laptop and camera . Or the digital projector used to give talks, etc, etc. The trips to France and Belgium might be a little more difficult to claim... The other issue seems to be that commemoration is of relatively little interest to HLF - they are more into learning, community, etc. It seems they would rather fund a project in which schoolchildren do some basic research than one where a historian does in depth work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 Bizarre - sounds like just the sort of thing they would go for. Was someone else already doing something very similar? Doubtful as it is a small field. Obviously UK has many different projects but I am unaware of Northern Irish ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 12 July , 2013 Share Posted 12 July , 2013 [/size] but I suspect it has cost more than a grand if you count up all the expenses that could be claimed under a grant Excellent point, Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonharley Posted 13 July , 2013 Share Posted 13 July , 2013 My MP brought this fund to my attention, and said that I should draft a letter for him to sign to the people in charge, advocating a grant for my research. The only problem is I've got no idea how to word this letter. Has anyone got any suggestions? I've filled out the expression of interest form and sent that off. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 13 July , 2013 Share Posted 13 July , 2013 The only problem is I've got no idea how to word this letter. Suggest you read whatever the HLF criteria are for grants and then write your letter so that it specifically addresses those criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveBrigg Posted 13 July , 2013 Share Posted 13 July , 2013 My MP brought this fund to my attention, and said that I should draft a letter for him to sign to the people in charge, advocating a grant for my research. The only problem is I've got no idea how to word this letter. Has anyone got any suggestions? I've filled out the expression of interest form and sent that off. Simon As far as I understand it applications are completed online, although there is a facility to attach documents. All the examples I have looked at have actively involved young people in one way or another and have produced results which are accessible to the public. There seems to be a clear focus on community involvement, rather than, say, academic rigour. However, the website says that they would consider such things as repairs to a war memorial. Are there local men whose stories can be shared? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 14 July , 2013 Share Posted 14 July , 2013 Doubtful as it is a small field. Obviously UK has many different projects but I am unaware of Northern Irish ones! Just reading the HLF leaflet on WW1 funding and they have the Diamond War Memorial project from 'Derry - Londonderry'. Very much a cross community project it seems - good enough to get almost £50k. Perhaps you could contact them for some tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 14 July , 2013 Share Posted 14 July , 2013 More from the HLF leaflet (http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/whatwefund/FirstWorldWar/Documents/Remembering_FWW_leaflet.pdf) HLF aims: To receive a grant, your project must: help people to learn about their own and other people’s heritage. Your project must also do either or both of the following: conserve the UK’s diverse heritage for present and future generations to experience and enjoy; help more people, and a wider range of people, to take an active part in and make decisions about heritage. - things they won't fund include: work that has already started; projects that don’t help people learn. So it's too late if you have already started (I suspect this might be the case with many here) and you really have to sell the community and learning aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 14 July , 2013 Share Posted 14 July , 2013 More from the HLF leaflet (http://www.hlf.org.u...FWW_leaflet.pdf) HLF aims: To receive a grant, your project must: help people to learn about their own and other people’s heritage. Your project must also do either or both of the following: conserve the UK’s diverse heritage for present and future generations to experience and enjoy; help more people, and a wider range of people, to take an active part in and make decisions about heritage. - things they won't fund include: work that has already started; projects that don’t help people learn. So it's too late if you have already started (I suspect this might be the case with many here) and you really have to sell the community and learning aspects. Thanks but Diamond is Derry only. I looked at HLF and other sites - all needed reams of bumf. Seems weighed in favour of committees and such - there are a few of us in Belfast & elsewhere. First thing Dublin told me was "We don't have the money" followed by an itinerary of the Prime Ministers Belgian, French, Turkish and Macedonian (?) voyage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonharley Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 Just got a response to my expression of interest. Apparently the HLF won't fund projects which have already started, which seems a bit barmy if you ask me, and require start and finish dates (which is a bit more reasonable, but since I wasn't asked for them I didn't supply them). Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 16 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 16 July , 2013 If you look in more detail at the HLF website you will see for some examples a breakdown of the costs. Is the project to which you refer? http://www.hlf.org.u...px#.Ud0euDuoq8A Sorry for the delay in answering your question, Dave. I've been away guiding. Yes - that looks like the same one, comparing it with the rather more basic information I was given. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 Pile of pants! (I am curtailing my language) I am left of centre but thinking of "One legged Black Lesbians commemorating 1914-18" as a title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOVE23 Posted 30 July , 2013 Share Posted 30 July , 2013 Pile of pants! (I am curtailing my language) I am left of centre but thinking of "One legged Black Lesbians commemorating 1914-18" as a title. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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