AGES AHA Bringing Archaeology to the Community

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Terry Barclay thanks Kate Brown of the HLF for giving AGES AHA the opportunity to submit the bid (Taken at Hadleigh Old Fire Station)

Lynda Manning

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Bringing Archaeology to the Community: AGES AHA celebrates £8,500 Heritage Lottery Fund grant

AGES Archaeological & Historical Association has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Sharing Heritage grant, it was announced today (1st October 2014). This exciting project, AGES AHA Bringing Archaeology to the Community, which will take place in and around Hadleigh and Thundersley and be led by AGES AHA, has been given £8,500 to take the story of recent local archaeological finds and their associated history to local residents by way of public meetings, a new pop up museum to use at local fairs and a series of talks to local groups.

Sharing Heritage is a funding programme which has been established to help people across the UK explore, conserve and share all aspects of the history and character of their local area.

AGES AHA  is a local amateur group based in Hadleigh. It has already been engaged in local historical and archaeological investigations, but trying to gather enough equipment and materials to be able to take the local story out to the wider public has been difficult until now.

AGES AHA is hoping to be joined by new members willing to volunteer their time in the project and learn new skills along the way, such as the research into and creation of historical costumes to wear (and to have available for children to wear) to help tell the stories of local historical characters. In 2015, there will be digs at local fairs with a chance for both adults and youngsters to turn up and take part to see what archaeology in their own community can do for them.

Commenting on the award, Terry Barclay, AGES AHA Secretary, said: “It’s fantastic that we have been awarded this grant and now we have sufficient funds, we can’t wait to get started. In recent years, we have been discovering so much about our past and we are all really excited about telling other people of all ages about our findings and sharing their heritage and history with them.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: “Sharing Heritage is a wonderful opportunity for communities to delve into their local heritage and we are delighted to be able to offer this grant so that AGES AHA can embark on a real journey of discovery. Heritage means such different things to different people, and HLF’s funding offers a wealth of opportunities for groups to explore and celebrate what’s important to them in their area.”

[It is proposed to submit a further series of articles to the Archive as dates are set for the various events and to welcome any new members wishing to volunteer to take part. In the meantime, should anyone want to know more, please contact AGES AHA by e-mail on info@ages-aha.co.uk].