A PROJECT to create a digital archive detailing West Flintshire's First World War contribution has secured Lottery funding.

The West Flintshire World War One Commemoration Project received £9,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund's First World War Then and Now programme and will be delivered in partnership between a number of organisations and schools.

It will focus on recording the contribution of West Flintshire communities during the First World War by creating a permanent digital archive website to preserve the experiences of the First World War for future generations.

A Remembrance Sunday Commemoration event will also be an aim of the project.

The organisations and schools involved in delivering the scheme include Change in Culture Projects CIC, Holywell and District Royal British Legion, Flint and Holywell Rotary Club, West Flintshire Heart CIC, Holywell Town Council and four schools: Maes Y Felin, St. Winefride’s, MaesGlas and Treffynnon.

David Roberts, president of Flint and Holywell Rotary Club said: “We are delighted that Heritage Lottery Fund and national lottery players have been able to help with our project.

"There will be national commemorative events, but it is very important that locally we should remember with gratitude, those who went off to war and did not return. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten.”

Through a series of history windows the website will provide a unique insight into local soldiers and community experiences of living through the First World War in West Flintshire.

Peter Curtis, from Holywell and District Royal British Legion and Board member for the project explained: “The most important element of the project is the capture and preservation of individual stories and personal records.

"If your ancestor lost their life or fought in the war, raised a family, kept a business going, served as a nurse or factory worker, cared for a wounded son or husband, or experienced a wartime childhood, you will be able to upload their story and ensure that their contribution to Britain’s war effort is not forgotten."

Flintshire school students are carrying out research about soldiers named on Holywell and Greenfield Roll Honours and have visited Caernarfon Castle Regimental Museum.

Students will soon be visiting Birkenhead Park, where First World War Welsh poet, Hedd Wyn was posthumously awarded the 1917 Eisteddfod Bardic Chair and the Wilfred Owen Museum.

Following all local traditional ceremonies for Remembrance Sunday, a finale World War One commemoration event will be held in Holywell High Street on November 11 which will include performances from Holywell Town Band, local school students commemorating soldiers who lost their lives, recitals and other recitals, along with stalls of information on WW1.

The event will run from 12.45pm to 3.30pm.

A spokesman for the project said: "Volunteers are welcome to assist with all aspects of the project, from sharing research/knowledge, writing bi-lingual website content and helping gather local stories/artefacts from the local community.

"The bi-lingual website, created by expert heritage website designers Delwedd, will hold photographs, letters, diaries, medals and any other items that are relevant to share the local story.

"Family members and relatives of some of the World War One soldiers may still be living in the West Flintshire area.

"We are seeking any World War One information, maybe photographs, medals, letters home, to help with the student research or to share on the website, if you so wish."

Anyone interested in supporting the project can email hello@changeinculture.com or call 07525 039 194.