Grant will aid Island heritage organisation

Heritage organisation Comann Eachdraidh Charlabhagh has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £9,700.
A psalmody class from the past, one of the areas which interest the project.A psalmody class from the past, one of the areas which interest the project.
A psalmody class from the past, one of the areas which interest the project.

The money will be used to aid an exciting new project, the Gearrannan Oral History Project, in Carloway, led by the historical society.

The cash will support the training of volunteers to record memories and stories relating to the township of Gearrannan in Carloway, and explore how people lived in this small village in both the distant and recent past.

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The project will bring together people across generations to discuss and record stories and memories of Gearrannan, at events and interviews.

Social events, walks, one-to-one and group interviews, and recorded conversations will all provide opportunities for people to reminisce, discuss, story-tell, sing, or communicate about the past in any way they like.

Volunteers who want to be involved will be trained in oral history recording techniques, and using recording equipment, and will have opportunities to be both interviewers and interviewees as they wish.

In future, this training will allow us to go on to record and make available more information about other areas in our district as well.

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Commenting on the award, Chairman Iain Macarthur said: “It’s fantastic to get this support from the HLF to allow us to learn more about Gearrannan’s past.

“There isn’t much written history for the area, but people have always worked hard to make a living in the village, and to stay here, and we want to remember that, and make a record of it, that can be shared by future generations.”

Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland’s Lucy Casot, said: “The Gearrannan Oral History Project, is a fine example of HLF’s Sharing Heritage programme that, thanks to National Lottery players, makes it possible for local people to choose what is important to them and what they want to save in their community.”

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