Credit English Heritage

Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Festival announces a second round of community grants to help deliver festival activity

The second round of the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Festival’s Community Grants scheme is now open for applications. Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Community Grants support the creation and delivery of events and activity for Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Festival and is open 1st –31st July 2022.

The first round of applications led to 25 submissions, which were narrowed down to eight successful projects, who share over £20,000 worth of funding. The winning projects will see a diverse mix of activity added to the festival offer including short films, tombstone exploration, accessible interpretation and multicultural history.  More information will be available on the festival website the coming weeks.

The awarded projects are as follows:

Time Bandits – Will create a community and internet based virtual visitor centre of Condercum Benwell which will provide the showcase for a short film and temporary exhibition.

William Howard School – will undertake a two-week community excavation to uncover targeted features in the eastern area of William Howard School, Brampton.

Northumberland County of Sanctuary – will lead a Walk and Picnic on Hadrian’s Wall for children KS2 and above both from Greenhead and from Syria (settled in Northumberland and Carlisle) plus any parents who want to join in the fun and learning.

Lake District National Park Authority – will run two Open Days at Ravenglass Roman Fort and Bath House this summer to coincide with the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 festival.

Journey EnterprisesA Canny Journey will work with group members and specialist Life Skills Coaches in the North East to create accessible resources for people with learning disability to explore and sights, sounds, smells and touch of Hadrian’s Wall.

The Hiking Household – will produce a free family friendly activity map of Walltown Country Park, offering a choice of routes including one which will be accessible to all.

Equal Arts – will lead an intergenerational project using the tombstone of Regina as a starting point for a creative exploration of the lives of women in and around Arbeia Roman fort.

Effective Communities – will deliver ‘Roman River Rovers’, a history walk-talk that starts close to the River Eden and former Waverley line viaduct taking participants to Uxeodunum (Stanwix in Carlisle).

A packed and ever-growing year-long programme is unfolding each month. With a diverse programme that’s developed by communities, attractions, and organisations along the Wall. The Festival launched on Hadrian’s birthday on Monday 24 January 2022, and the yearlong programme will culminate with Saturnalia on 17-23 December 2022.

Individuals, groups, venues and organisations along the length of the wall continue to be encouraged to get involved and be part of this incredible year by visiting https://1900.hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/ and submitting their own activities to the programme!

This project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and North of Tyne Combined Authority. The community grant funding was awarded to English Heritage on behalf of Hadrian’s Wall Partnership.

To find out more about Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Community Grants visit https://1900.hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/

The HW1900 Festival programme to date is available to view at https://1900.hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/