Their Past Your Future

What's it all about?

This programme is closed for applications

The National Lottery Community Fund worked with a range of key partners from the education and museum, libraries and archives sector. The programme commemorated the 60th anniversary of the events that led to the end of the Second World War and encouraged younger generations to learn from the experiences of those who lived through the Second World War.

Their Past Your Future provided up to £2.3 million in National Lottery Funding to local education authorities across the UK (education and library boards in Northern Ireland). This funding enabled schools to undertake activities that enable young people to engage in commemoration and reflect upon the impact of the Second World War on the UK and the people who lived through it. The types of activity that could be funded included UK and overseas commemorative visits, events and exhibitions in local schools or the local community. Activities that link young people with veterans and others who lived through the Second World War, and creating learning resources. Schools and education authorities were encouraged to make use of a range of support materials in developing projects.

Their Past Your Future also provided up to £7 million to the museums, libraries and archives sector to support exhibitions commemorating the Second World War and develop related educational programmes aimed at schools and the wider public. Our strategic partners for this part of the initiative were the Imperial War Museum, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (England), Scottish Museums Council, National Library of Wales and Northern Ireland Museums Council.