Hadrian's Wall Looking East from Winshields. Courtesy HLF
Heritage is not just about the past, but also about the future. It is about preserving not just buildings, but also memories – memories and knowledge that can be built upon and transferred down to the next generation.
Fostering a love of heritage and the arts is at the centre of a new youth film project celebrating 15 years of Heritage Lottery Funding for the North East of England. And with more than £209 million having been invested in the area, this is certainly something to shout about.
From the restoration of the Heugh Gun Battery to preserving the traditional songs for the Northumbrian Anthology project, the impact of Heritage Lottery Funding has been all encompassing. You only have to look at the huge queues outside the award-winning Great North Museum to see its success – as many as 80,000 visitors in the first week.
The Film, entitled Fifteen: North East Heritage takes a look at all of these extraordinary projects. Most importantly, however, it highlights the transformative effects it has had on local communities in terms of bringing jobs and training to the area in these economically desolate times.
One of the Northern Stars. Courtesy HLF
The four young filmmakers, known as The Northern Stars, have been given complete control of the creative process. From speaking to the projects, filming, directing and editing it is solely their brainchild and a very personal comment on their home.
"The North-East is home to some of the country's most spectacular architecture, landscapes, wildlife and collections that have all been captured in the film directed by the young film makers," says Ivor Crowther, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North East.
"The Northern Stars have done an amazing job at conveying the region's heritage through the eyes of young people; they are a talented group and are an inspiration to others wanting to get into the film industry."
"Being involved in Fifteen has been am amazing experience," says Rachel Dixon, Director of the film.
"I loved how each of the projects had a community aspect, where everyone benefitted and people were brought closer together. I think that heritage is a big part of our identity, it's our history, and that history makes us what we are today."
