Website Assets-01

Charity Secures Heritage Funding Close to Home

One Voice Blackburn have been successful in garnering funding to continue their work in heritage projects in the town.

Making Walls Talk is a unique project which will allow young people the opportunity to research those who have lived in their properties since they were built.

Funded by the Heritage Fund, Making Walls Talk will involve local historians, library services, Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society and young people involved with the charity One Voice Blackburn. The idea for the research came directly from young people living in Blackburn wanting to learn more about their communities.

Young people will research the history of their homes in Blackburn, carry out interviews with previous owners and create their own ‘blue plaque’ for their home. The blue plaque will have a QR code which is linked to a digital heritage record about the house including videos, voice files, photographic and written heritage documents.

One Voice is an organisation that aspires to create an inclusive, cohesive and vibrant community in Blackburn with Darwen and will help young participants from across the town to get involved in this project.

This is the third project awarded to One Voice since 2018, continuing the work of the group with heritage related projects relating to the town’s South Asian heritage including a 1970s clothing research programme and a Lancashire mills project.

The young people involved in Making Walls Talk are from One Voice Blackburn’s groups including West End Girls (WEGs) and East End Boys (EEBs).

Sifa Butt is excited at the prospect of learning more about her home.

“It’s incredible to think that there may have been numerous families living in my home since it was built. I would love to meet some of them people and ask them what it was like in their time. A house is more than just bricks and mortar, it holds so many memories for people. I can’t wait to get started with the project.”