Telling our Story: MacIntyre celebrates £8,100 Heritage Lottery Fund grant

MacIntyre is one of the first groups in the UK to receive a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) All Our Stories grant, it was announced today.

 

This exciting project, MacIntyre Memories in Milton Keynes and led by MacIntyre, has been given £8,100 to capture the history of a service supporting people with learning disabilities.

 

All Our Stories, a brand new small grant programme, launched earlier this year in support of BBC Two’s The Great British Story has been designed as an opportunity for everyone to get involved in their heritage. With HLF funding and support, community groups will carry out activities that help people explore, share and celebrate their local heritage.

 

The popular series presented by historian Michael Wood and supported by a programme of BBC Learning activities and events got thousands of us asking questions about our history and inspired us to look at our history in a different way through the eyes of ordinary people.

 

The programme and HLF All Our Stories has proved a real hit and now MacIntyre Memories is one of hundreds of successful projects around the UK to receive a grant. MacIntyre Memories will capture the history of a service supporting people with learning disabilities. The Milton Keynes centre is undergoing a major refurbishment of the iconic building, central to services for the past 25 years. Traditional methods such as creating individual memory boxes, scanning photographs and documents for archiving, creating exhibitions for display in community buildings will run alongside the use of websites and social networking sites to record the building works from planning approval through to celebrating the reopening in Autumn 2013. The project will also provide a positive channel to support individuals during this period of change.

 

TV presenter and historian Michael Wood, said: “We British love our history, and no wonder: few nations in the world, if any, have such riches on their doorstep, and so much of it accessible to all of us. It is really tremendous that the people of Milton Keynes have been inspired to get involved to tell their own story and to dig deeper into their own past. It’s brilliant that so many people are being given the chance to get involved through the All Our Stories grants. Having travelled the length and breadth of the British Isles this last year filming The Great British Story, I am certain that fascinating and moving stories will be uncovered which will not only bring to life the excitement of local history, but will illuminate and enrich every community’s connection with the national narrative.”

 

Commenting on the award, Claire Kennedy, Head of Fundraising at MacIntyre said “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant. It’s a momentous time for the people we support in Milton Keynes as they look ahead to some major changes to the learning centre. They are really looking forward to pulling together stories and memories from the past 25 years and are excited about telling other people about our findings and sharing our heritage and history with them.”

 

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South East, said: “Clearly the success of All Our Stories has reinforced the fact that we are indeed a nation of story tellers and that we want to explore and dig deeper into our past and discover more about what really matters to us. This is exactly what the grant will do for the MacIntyre Memories as they embark on a real journey of discovery.”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to editors

 

About MacIntyre

 

MacIntyre is a national charity dedicated to providing the widest range of learning, support and care services to over a thousand children, young people and adults with learning disabilities. In Milton Keynes we offer creative, personalised solutions that encourage independence for each person, whatever their level of disability, and support them to lead fulfilling lives.

 

www.macintyrecharity.org

 

All Our Stories

 

All Our Stories is a new, simple, funding programme for 2012 with grants available ranging from £3,000 -£10,000 developed so everyone can get involved in their heritage. From researching local historic landmarks, learning more about customs and traditions to delving into archives and finding out the origins of street and place names All Our Stories will give everyone the chance to explore their heritage and share what they learn with others. This programme is now closed to new applications and decisions were made in October 2012.

 

Heritage Lottery Fund

 

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported 33,000 projects, allocating £4.9billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk.

 

BBC Learning

 

BBC Learning plays a central part in meeting the BBC’s purpose of promoting education and learning. Utilising the power of the BBC’s big brands and key talent, the department puts learning right at the heart of the BBC and provides a variety of resources and learning opportunities for children, teachers, parents.