Stenhousemuir Football Club has received £7,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a project, “Shoot Back in Time” to be delivered at Ochilview Park.   Awarded through HLF’s First World War: then and now programme, the project aims to use the power of football to encourage primary school pupils to learn about the First World War and to engage them in exploring their own local and personal heritage.

Colin McLean, Head of HLF Scotland, said “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching every corner of the UK. Since April 2010, the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded more than £70million to more than 1,100 projects – large and small – that are marking this global Centenary; with our small grants programme, we are enabling even more communities like those involved in Shoot Back in Time to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help local young people in particular to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”

To mark the Centenary of the First World War, the project will enable around 90 primary school children in and around Stenhousemuir to discover the impact of the First World War on football and the local area through a blend of football coaching and workshop style sessions.  The project will run for 8 weeks and includes a visit to the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park in Glasgow.  While at the Museum, the children will explore topics of interest such as the suspension of the Scottish Cup and football on the Front Line.  It is also anticipated that special guests with expertise in this field will visit to add value to the learning which takes place.

The community will come together for an open night to celebrate the project, where the children will present their findings.  This information will also be retained in Weblog format on the official club website as a legacy of the project.

Commenting on the award, Jamie Kirk said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and the club is looking forward to helping the participants learn about the First World War through the power of football.  The recent anniversary of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster saw members from across our local area come together in remembrance and I believe that this project will help continue a genuine local interest in exploring individual and community heritage.