Reliving history in the digital age

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Lead Member for Armed Forces

Rochdale Borough Libraries are taking part in an exciting new Arts Council funded project to commemorate the First World War with a local arts project and Digital War Memorial.

As one of ten authorities involved, the library service will receive £9,000 funding to deliver an intergenerational arts project to commemorate World War 1.

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Lead Member for Armed Forces said: “This is a great way for the borough to get involved in a national project, commemorating something which has a huge significance for everyone’s lives in the borough. The mixture of new technology and history will, I’m sure, create a wonderful final piece.”

The project will run with assistance from all generations of people living in the borough, from school children to war veterans’ groups. Using ideas from technology-savvy children and with guidance from the war-wise veterans, the project promises to deliver a wonderful commemoration.

Ray Stearn, Rochdale Borough Libraries’ Young Person’s Library Worker will be reading war poetry and books about the war to the young people and the veterans using the Maskew collection housed at Rochdale Central Library.

The group will then use their thoughts on war to draw images which will then be translated into street art by local street artist Liam Dean.

The finished street art will be proudly displayed at Rochdale Central Library with some of the funding given used to reproduce the artwork and display it at other locations in the borough.

As part of the project created by The Society of Chief Librarians and Arts Council England, a Digital Curator will be appointed to bring together all 10 projects and create something new and compelling to bring the local stories together into a national piece.

The council signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant in 2012, aimed at encouraging local communities to support services that promote and encourage activities that help integrate armed forces personnel back into civilian life.

Current or ex Armed Forces personnel can register for help or get more information by visiting www.rochdale.gov.uk/armedforces

If they encounter difficulties when accessing services from the council or its partners email armedforces@rochdale.gov.uk or call the council on 01706 926989.