Creative Island and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) are proud to announce the 13 community organisations selected for the second round of Past Futures today. This heritage fund, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, provides vital investment to celebrate, archive, and share the everyday stories and unique traditions that shape the Isle of Wight.
Past Futures is an Isle of Wight based heritage fund for communities and organisations to capture, celebrate and curate the ‘every day’ heritage.
Following an incredible response to the latest funding call, this second round has more than doubled the number of projects supported by the programme. These awardees will receive a combined total of over £123,000 to bring vibrant local histories to life, with the support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, ensuring that the Island’s community-led heritage is preserved and accessible for everyone, now and in the future.
Gavin Stride, Director of Creative Island said:
“This is a further reminder of the depth and variety of extraordinary stories that make up the Isle of Wight. It has been a real privilege to work with people from every part of the Island on helping them share their stories, and we’re grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the trust and support that they’ve shown us in making this happen.”
Jacqui Scott, CEO of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) explains:
“We’re incredibly proud to see the Past Futures grant programme continuing to grow, with this second round of funding supporting even more Island communities to share their stories. These projects are a reminder that heritage is not just about the past, but about how people connect, find pride in where they live, and shape their future together. We’re delighted to continue working alongside Creative Island and The National Lottery Heritage Fund to ensure these stories are heard, valued and celebrated.”
The first round of Past Futures saw 6 Island organisations awarded, from Bembridge Fort Trust’s research into the Fort being a pioneering place in the earliest days of radar development, to Stitch Department’s hands-on workshops that welcomed nearly 100 participants who have learnt heritage craft skills.
Stuart McLeod, Director England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, adds:
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re proud to support the Past Futures project as it helps uncover and celebrate the Isle of Wight’s untold stories. These inspiring, community-led projects show how heritage can bring people together, strengthen local pride and ensure that voices, memories and traditions are valued and shared for generations to come.”
Below, you’ll find more information on each of the rewardees projects:
Brading Roman Villa’s project will collect oral histories from local people who took part in community archaeological investigations at the villa in the 21st century. These stories will be presented in a new exhibition, hosted both digitally and at the villa itself. A suite of workshops will give a new generation the chance to try non-invasive archaeological methods on site.
Carisbrooke Castle Museum holds a significant collection of oral histories on the Isle of Wight. This project will bring part of that collection to new audiences by focusing on the theme of World War Two. The museum will commission a local theatre group to bring the recorded stories to life.
Classic Boat Centre Trust (Classic Boat Museum) aims to uncover the hidden stories of Cowes Week’s townspeople and the trades that support its sailing legacy. The project will train archival volunteers to better care for and safeguard the museum collection, and will create new exhibitions that showcase artefacts linked to a heritage trail around the town.
Nature Therapy CIC: Whilst the heritage surrounding Whitecroft psychiatric hospital is present anecdotally in heritage narratives on the Isle of Wight, it suffers from a lack of systematic collection, curation and public access. This project seeks to begin the process of documenting the hospital’s long legacy of heritage by selecting one decade as its focus.
Riboleau Community Studios and Gardens CIC is based in a garden that is the last physical link to three important people in Ryde’s history. The project will focus on these hidden heritage stories. It will use volunteer research, creative activities, and public events to bring these people back to life in the places where they lived.
Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society‘s project offers an opportunity to facilitate access to an important part of rural heritage through the archiving and interpretation of the collections held by the Royal Agricultural Society. Young people will be invited to help curate the exhibition, which will be held at the Royal Agricultural Show.
Sight for Wight aims to preserve and share the heritage of blind and partially sighted Islanders by cataloguing historic artefacts and creating digital recordings with long-standing members. The project will make this collection publicly accessible in community venues and online, ensuring the heritage reaches diverse audiences.
The Common Space will display a collection of James Dore’s Edwardian-era photographs of The Bay area in Sandown, including those linked to his fire service role. A bespoke cabinet will be created by a craft maker for innovative display, and a local leaflet will map historic sites alongside modern counterparts to encourage exploration.
The New Carnival Company will build on existing work around Isle of Wight folk heritage by extending the current exhibition and taking it on tour around the Isle of Wight. A key part of the new displays will be replica heritage items, created to showcase the materials, craftsmanship, and folk stories attached to objects selected from the Island’s heritage collections. These artefacts will be linked to a map illustrating important folk heritage locations and stories.
The Wight Aviation Museum will uncover hidden stories from its collection by working with an accredited oral history practitioner and training volunteers to collect and preserve them. The project will then share these stories with new audiences through digital interpretation and a community education and outreach programme.
The 4Ps Vectis Radio Training School will introduce young people to heritage as a stimulus for digital communication, building on its existing digital media skills programme. Participants will gain experience in heritage research methods and local history while creating curated podcasts. These podcasts aim to galvanise the island community by inviting locals to share their own hidden stories.
Time Nor Tide Players CIC will use old items from over 150 years of music hall shows on the Isle of Wight to tell the hidden story of this type of entertainment. The theatre group will bring the music, costumes, and feel of past performances to life, focusing on the actual places where the music hall happened. Alongside the shows, the project will digitally save the collected materials so people can use them in the future.
Ventnor Enhancement Fund’s project will bring a local telephone box back into public use as a piece of heritage. Using collections from the local heritage group, the project team will employ a researcher to source material for display inside the box and to create a larger installation in the town during the Ventnor Fringe festival.
As the digital archive takes shape, the hidden stories from both rounds will continue to emerge and will be shared through the Creative Island website. Stay tuned for more!
