MP for Droitwich, Sir Peter Luff is appealing to his constituents to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to remember the First World War.

the HLF is making grants of anything between £3,000 and £10,000 available for communities to mark the war and its impact on local areas, between now and 2019.

Sir Peter said: “For me, as for so many, this is a very personal anniversary – or series of anniversaries. My own father fought in the First World War – at Gallipoli and in Palestine - so I’m delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is making this money available to local communities to keep memories alive.

“Like many areas across the UK, the impact of the First World War on the people of Worcestershire was extensive. For those who want to find out more about its legacy or who wish to mark the Centenary, I urge them to get in touch with HLF.”

The ‘First World War: then and now’ programme is aimed at giving our small community grants, to enable groups or organisations to explore, conserve and share their local heritage and links with the Great War, to help communities deepen their understanding of the conflict and how it impacted them and their relatives on a very local level.

Projects are aimed at researching and recording local heritage, creating community archives and collections to store memories and information from the time, giving new people a chance to discover what life was like for those affected through everything from exhibitions, to trails and smart phone apps, or even letting people write their own creative material based on historical resources.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of HLF, added: “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. The Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘First World War: then and now’ programme will enable communities to explore the continuing legacy of this war and help young people in particular to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”

To apply for a grant, complete the online application pack at hlf.org.uk/ThenAndNow. Grants of more than £10,000 are also available for larger projects at hlf.org.uk.