Present: Notes for meeting of the Leicestershire WW1 Centenary Reference Group held at Newark Houses, Leicester, LE2 7BY Monday 22 September 2014 Murray Colville (Chair) Lady Gretton Peter Carr Michael Pearson Colin Hyde David Atterbury John Sutton Richard Lane Liz Blood Sally Coleman Sarra Jenkins Craig Blackman Elizabeth Wheelband Robert Martin Matthew Constantine Bob Allen Jim Butler Janet Grant Tim Webster Dominic Smith Vice Lord-Lieutenant Lord-Lieutenant Deputy Lieutenant Deputy Lieutenant Leicester University (EMOHA) County Chairman, Royal British Legion The Western Front Association Royal Tigers Association War Memorials Officer, LCC Heritage Manager, Leicester City Council Loughborough Grammar School, WW1 Lead Loughborough Grammar School Collections Access Assistant, Leics County Council RBL County President Leicester City Museums Royal Tigers Association University of Leicester Charnwood Great War Centenary Project Leicestershire Lieutenancy Committee Officer Apologies: Phil Watson Pam Posnett Alison Clague Thomas Veit Richard Cole Jo Wood Alison Colledge Robert Martin Resham Sandhu William Hurrell Amanda Hanton Daniel Routt Commandant, LNRACF County Councillor & Chair, Support to Armed Forces C ttee Charnwood Museum & Charnwood WW1 Network Head of External Relations, Leicester University Chair, EMRF&CA, Leics & Rutland Assistant Registrar, Leicester University Heritage Services, Leicester City Council RBL County President Sikh Welfare Society Chair of LCC Veterans Associations network meetings Century of Stories The Woodland Trust
1. Welcome by the Vice Lord- Lieutenant. Colonel Murray Colville welcomed all those present. 2. Introduction and Apologies. Jim Butler of University of Leicester and Janet Grant of the Charnwood Great War Centenary Project were welcomed to the meeting. 3. Notes of Previous Meetings and Matters Arising. The notes of the meeting held on 17 July 2014 were agreed. 4. Updates on Planned Initiatives of this Reference Group. Fundraising dinner with speaker The Group were advised that Mr. Borugh Scott the grandson of the author of the WW1 novel War Horse had been approached to speak at the fundraising dinner in 2015. The Group was further advised that the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Nicolas Soames MP, may be invited to the 2016 fund raising dinner. A performance at Curve pack up your troubles The Group received the update that there had been a significant increase in the sale of tickets for the event with all tickets sold. Lecture on Commonwealth Following the meeting the Group were advised that the lecture: Invisible Heroes and Commonwealth Soldiers in World War One would take place in the Peter Williams Lecture theatre, University of Leicester on 18 October 2014. Four speakers had been selected and so far 72 attendees had been confirmed. A copy of the invitation is included with these minutes. An appeal for photographs taken at Remembrance Services and parades and electronic archiving of memorabilia These two agenda items were dealt with together by the Chairman. The Group was advised that a new email account remembrance100@leics.gov.uk had been created to accept digital photographs and a significant amount of material had been received. Liz Blood circulated the most recent draft of the WW1 Leicestershire Commemorates Bulletin to the group which outlined a number of upcoming projects and events taking place within the County to mark the centenary of the First World War. Any future items for inclusion in the bulletin are to be sent to: Liz.Blood@leics.gov.uk
Communications Plan The Group received the update that work on phase two priories for the Group s communications plan had now been completed. The phase two priorities were noted as:- WW1 and the Contribution of Sikh Soldiers-18 October Remembrance Tide Light up in Red Archive photos Fundraising Dinner and Speaker Christmas war stories In addition, work had been done to develop the Group s access to social media and other forms of electronic communication for the purpose of targeting a wider audience. A copy of the Plan is to be circulated with these minutes. Light-up your building in red during Remembrance Tide The group was advised that the following building had agreed to light up there buildings in Red for Remembrance: County Hall Town Hall City Hall De Montfort Hall The Magazine Loughborough Grammar School John Lewis, Highcross Shopping Centre Centrica Loughborough Grammar School Loughborough University; Fielding Johnson Building De Montfort University; Trinity House Uppingham Church St Mary s Church, Knighton Ibstock Junior School Loughborough Town Hall Loughborough Carillon Museum It was further noted that New Walk Museum would not be lit up in red. Further details of the event can be found here: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ww1-centenary/lights-out Community Tree Planting and Poppies That 70 schools and academies in Leicestershire had signed up to the scheme and that work was now being done to provide a breakdown of which schools had signed up. A further update would be provided at the next meeting of the Group.
WW1 Oral History Archive The Group received the update that a significant amount of material was now in a useable format and would focus on the experiences and daily lives of Leicestershire residents during World War one. In addition, material from soldiers serving in the war had been received but this material would not be included in the focus of the project due to the size of this additional material and could in time constitute a separate project of its own. Century of Sorties The Group were advised that the project had launched successfully on 12 August and that there had been a significant amount of interest from the general public. The focus of the project would be that everybody has a connection with World War 1 (WW1) and those individuals/communities participating would be encouraged to research their own connection with the war. As a result several groups had been set up and were assisting the public in investigating their connection with WW1. There was an appeal for volunteers who could assist with the project particularly for those who had experience with ancestry research or the local records office. Anyone wishing to participate in the project is requested to contact Elizabeth Wheelband: Elizabeth.Wheelband@leics.gov.uk Lord Lieutenant s Award The Group received the update that the Lord Lieutenant s Award would soon be launching and draft promotional material was circulated to the Group. For 2015 there would be a new category dedicated to marking the centenary of the First World War in poetry. It was noted that the award was only open to young people aged 13-19 living in Leicester or Leicestershire. 5. Key battle dates and casualties. It was noted that the Group had now received the key dates from the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, the Royal Lancers and Royal Yeomanry. Work had been done to select dates to highlight using social media accounts. It was noted that there would be some limitation of the content of twitter messages due to character limitations. It was further noted that there should be some inclusion of key battle dates of other areas of the armed forces where Leicestershire residents had served e.g. the Royal Air force or the Royal Navy. It was agreed that John Sutton would take this initiative forward and an update would be provided for the next meeting. 6. Centenary Fields initiative by Fields in Trust Following the meeting, it was noted that the Bradgate Park Trust had approved the 26 acres of woodland managed by the Bradgate Trust adjacent to Swithland Woodland in Leicestershire the initiative.
A further update would be provided at the next meeting of the Group. 7. Any other Business The Group received an update on the following: Jade Grant advised that she represented the Charnwood Great War Centenary Project which had Heritage Lottery funding. The project originated within All Saints' Parish Church, Loughborough and because of the very close historic links with Loughborough Grammar School, many of its war dead were being commemorated on memorial plaques. Loughborough Grammar school had hosted a series of lectures for their students designed to increase their knowledge of the War. Lady Gretton advised that as part of her duties as Lord Lieutenant she and her Deputy Lieutenants had visited a number of events around the County designed to mark the centenary of WW1 and expressed her appreciation of the efforts that had gone into organising these high quality events. 8. Date of Next Meeting It was noted that the next meeting of the Group would be held Monday 1 December from 11am at County Hall, Glenfield, Leicestershire.