Hear all about our exciting new project bringing Lancaster’s maritime heritage to life at a First Friday event on October 7. Port Stories, which has received a £58,700 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will explore and reveal Lancaster's rich and unique 18th Century maritime heritage through research and dynamic creativity. It is a collaboration between The Dukes, the Regional Heritage Centre, Lancaster University, Lancashire County Council’s Museums Service, Lancashire Archives, First Fridays and Global Link. Contrasting experiences of those who once made a living from Lancaster’s maritime trade during the Georgian era, Port Stories will also illuminate stories from more recent arrivals to the city. As migration into and within Europe is increasing, it will ask what we can learn from the experiences of our forebears. The project also aims to increase awareness of the importance of Lancaster’s built heritage and museum collections at a time when museums in Lancashire are under threat of closure. Port Stories will involve professional historians Sam Riches, Andrew White, Mike Winstanley and Melinda Elder passing on their knowledge to a team of community historians, some from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, who will conduct their own unique research. Local schools will be involved in the creation of learning resources for Key Stage 2 and 3. The project will feature film, audio and digital story-telling, culminating in the creation of audio dramas and a comprehensive digital resource. All material will be deposited with Lancashire Archives. The audio elements of the project will be hosted on Sonic Maps available for visitors to Lancaster. To find out more, go along to The Storey for 1pm this Friday when Port Stories will be introduced by Dukes Associate Director, Alex Summers and former Head of Lancaster Museums Service, Dr Andrew White. They will be joined by awardwinning writers James Harker and May Sumbwanyambe. The Port Stories community programme will run from November 2016-March 2017. If you would like to get involved, go along to the talk or email portstories.dukes@gmail.com Commenting on the HLF award, Alex Summers said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Port Stories which will explore Lancaster’s rich maritime heritage in new and exciting ways.” *Photograph courtesy of Lancaster Maritime Museum.