A PROJECT aimed at collecting memories and information of the First World War from local communities has won a national award.

The Community Archives and Heritage Group (CAHG) announced last week that the Dartmoor Trust was the overall 2016 winner and won the ‘most inspirational’ category for its project ‘Dartmoor Life In The First World War’.

In reaching their decision, the judges considered the project as a ‘showcase for good practice, looking at the First World War from the view of those left behind in rural communities’.

The whole project involved local groups across Dartmoor — linking history groups and the national park.

Judges added that the ‘background planning, with specified “Key Stage” information for schools, across both English and science subjects, plus defined long-term archiving plans, put the project ahead of the other (very) strong contenders in the category’.

Dartmoor Life In The First World War featured an exhibition at the Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre in Princetown in the summer of 2015 and will be re-prised at the centre from August 19 to 24. The project is now part of an outreach programme to residents and local schoolchildren, explaining the socio-economic conditions at that time and improvements over the past century.

The project aimed to archive local material before the war recedes from memories, by drawing communities together at the research stage and encouraging people to contribute their own material to the archive.

The exhibition highlighted the use of the Dartmoor Military Training Area, the impact of the war on large estates, the removal of horses for the war effort and distinctive local angles, such as collecting sphagnum moss to treat wounds and horse chestnuts to make explosives.

Tony Clark, chairman of The Dartmoor Trust, said: ‘We are delighted to have won this award. It shows what can be achieved when local people come together, share experiences and honour their heritage.

‘Dartmoor Life In The First World War aims to preserve a part of our past that created such upheaval and suffering, but also brought communities closer. This recognition by CAHG is also a tribute to Dartmoor’s local history groups, who inspired us with their interest and helped us research into local communities. We hope our experience encourages others.’