Trustees from Kennet Valley at War Trust attended a special function at Newbury College on Friday, 5 June. Interactive Media Students Cameron Moorecroft and Luke Admans (pictured) presented members with the new database-driven website they have designed as part of their course. (Site: www.kennetvalleyatwar.co.uk)
These students and others from the College have been working with Kennet Valley at War Trust to preserve West Berkshire's wartime history and promote its heritage to future generations after it received grant money to conserve its collection of Second World War artefacts.
Newbury College Interactive Media Course Leader Julian Bellmont said: "I am very proud of all the students for their hard work and commitment. The project has been of enormous educational benefit to the students, enabling them to get actively involved in the local community on a high-profile project."
The project has seen Interactive Media students at the College receiving a state-of-the-art UAV drone from The Trust in order to photograph items in the museum and buildings, including Littlecote House (home to the 506th (US) Parachute Infantry Regiment from late 1943 until June 1944) and other areas of the Kennet Valley's Second World War heritage which will add considerable value to the new website.
Interactive Media student at Newbury College Matt Steele said: "I've really enjoyed working on this project and have learnt a great deal."
The Kennet Valley at War Trust received £30,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for this exciting project to conserve and enhance the charity's collection of Second World War artefacts and to increase the number of ways the local community can access the collection and celebrate their local heritage. The project also enables the creation of a new education pack (to be available online and to be printed and distributed to 250 schools in North Wiltshire, West Berkshire and Swindon), the development of three walks exploring the Kennet Valley's wartime archaeology, and the delivery of a series of 10 workshops to broaden access and enable great community involvement.