YOUNG men from Blackburn Orphanage who lost their lives in the First World War will be remembered in a project as part of centenary commemorations.
Child Action Northwest has been granted £7,800 lottery grant to work with children at Salesbury School on a documentary DVD, which will involve the children taking a trip to the trench at the Museum of Lancashire, visiting Fulwood Barracks and studying the records of the orphans who grew up and went to war.
Along the way they will find out more about the ten old boys who lost their lives and plant trees in their honour with plaques to commemorate the war dead in a special memorial garden in the grounds of the original orphanage.
A film will be made of the project, which will be distributed on DVD and online.
Author, archivist and historian, Melanie Warren who recently published the story of Blackburn Orphanage, called James Dixon’s Children, will be working with the children on the project. She said: “It’s appropriate that we are working with Salesbury School as that’s where the children from Blackburn Orphanage were pupils.
“I think this will be a great way for the children to learn about history.
“By creating a memorial garden we are sharing the stories with the wider community for generations to come so they will never be forgotten.”