The Friends of Cannock Chase has been awarded a National Lottery grant of £9,500 so that a group of young people from Stafford Gatehouse Youth Theatre can write and perform their own play.
The Town the Great War Built is the last project in a series which over the past five years has recognised those who built, trained and served at Cannock Chase camps during World War I.
Young people have explored archaeology, historic maps, letters and diaries, using them to build up characters and plots which are based on soldiers who would have been on the Chase.
Nick Earnshaw from Stafford Gatehouse Youth Theatre said, “this is a great opportunity for young people to get actively involved in their local history. This project has enabled them to understand WWI better and think about the impact it had on young people like themselves.”
Trevor Warburton from the Friends of Cannock Chase added, “we’re keen that our local history is kept alive. Many people are unaware of the Cannock Chase camps and that about 500,000 men trained here during World War I. The young people have shown a real interest in the project and we hope to record the play as a lasting legacy of our projects.”
The Town the Great War Built will be performed on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 October in the MET Studio at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.