Fareham Borough Council has awarded the Military Heritage Museum £3,915 from its Community Fund, to provide new equipment to support a new outreach initiative.

The Military Heritage Museum was established three years ago and operates as a mobile ‘pop-up’ exhibition. It attends a range of events from local fetes and festivals to larger regional shows, providing opportunities for visitors to learn about military history, handle genuine artefacts and engage with stories from the local area. Last year they attended Burridge Sunday Funday, Show on the Green and the Warsash Festival.

The Community Funding will contribute toward new exhibiting equipment to support the launch of a new outreach initiative designed to strengthen community engagement across the Borough. This includes working with local schools, cadet units, veterans’ groups and other community organisations to deliver talks, displays and hands-on learning experiences that makes history engaging and relevant to everyone.

The Military Heritage Museum has already established links with several community groups including: the Locks Heath branch of the U3A; Uplands History Group; Warsash History Society; Mainly 4 Men Fellowship Group; Warsash Veterans Group; and the Royal British Legion Park Gate. It is also planning to exhibit within Fareham Town Centre, Locks Heath Shopping Village and various local community centres.

Executive Member for Leisure and Community at Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Connie Hockley, said: “I am really happy that the Military Heritage Museum has secured this Community Funding. Fareham has a rich military history and it is important that we continue to celebrate this and remember those who fought and died for our freedom. These pop-up exhibitions will be incredibly interesting and help engage local people across the Borough.”

For more information about Fareham’s Community Fund and how to apply, please visit: www.fareham.gov.uk/grants.