Oswestry Town Museum thanks fund for Wilfred Owen and First World War events grant

The museum received an Armed Forces Military Covenant Community Grant to participate in the commemorations of Wilfred Owen's death in the First World War and the declaration of the Armistice just days after the poet was killed.

Mark Hignett, of Oswestry Town Museum, said: "The museum has been involved in hosting a wide range of collaborative heritage projects over recent years and this grant enables us to participate fully in the commemorative and remembrance events associated with WW1 and Wilfred Owen, who was of course born in Oswestry.

"We have worked closely with local groups and military organisations in the past and this money was awarded to fund exhibition material, memorabilia and artefacts, uniform hire and re-enactors in the town's Wilfred Owen Festival and First World War commemorations."

Commemorative events have been held throughout the year across the country regarding the centenary of the armistice and Shropshire in particular has been hosting events across the county as a part of the Wilfred Owen 100 project.

Since 2014, Shropshire communities have worked to deliver an extensive and ambitious programme of heritage and arts activities to commemorate the First World War.

Oswestry has a long-standing association with the Military having trained soldiers at Park Hall since the First World War until the 1970s.

Army cadets from the town dressed as Great War soldiers at the recent On the Front Line exhibition and re-enactment day on Oswestry’s Festival Square.

There are also plans to bring the Wilfred Owen town trail leaflet up to date with the inclusion of the attractions of the Park Hall trenches, Oswestry Town Museum and the life-size bronze statue of Wilfred Owen in Cae Glas park.

For more information on the museum's exhibitions and events, visit its website at http://oswestrytownmuseum.co.uk/

Alternatively, call Oswestry Town Museum on 01691 680 241 or visit its Facebook and Twitter pages.