The charity Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) has launched plans to boost Gosport's rich heritage.

The £325,000 project, funded largely by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and also by Gosport Borough Council, HCT's Heritage Generator Programme aims to spotlight the town’s vibrant past and invest in its future.

The program - which runs until 2026 - will reveal unknown stories of Gosport, create interactive heritage experiences, and offer funding to those helping sustain the town's heritage.

Different parts of the programs will invite community participation and promote the co-creation of public heritage projects.

Daily Echo: Museum displays at Gosport MuseumMuseum displays at Gosport Museum (Image: Supplied)

A key aspect of the Heritage Generator is a complimentary training programme, due to commence in autumn 2024.

Designed to bolster key skills of heritage organisations and individuals, the program provides support for impactful community work.

Trainees will also be eligible to apply for subsequent community grants of up to £5,000 to kick-start community projects.

At the Imagination Refinery on Gosport’s High Street, artists alongside Makers Guild are developing a board game based on Gosport’s past anecdotes and legends. These community co-created workshops will yield a game to be launched in November.

Music also features prominently, with community groups asked to embark on a journey exploring Gosport’s musical past emanating from the history around The Criterion.

Charlie Fletcher, learning and engagement coordinator at Hampshire Cultural Trust, said: "We couldn’t be more delighted to have received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Gosport Borough Council for this project.

"Building on the incredible momentum generated by the High Street Heritage Action Zone investment from Historic England, this programme will not only allow us to continue to highlight Gosport’s unique heritage both to the local community and visitors to the town, but it also means that we can invest in the development of skills and experience to help secure the town’s heritage for the future."

Daily Echo: Running until 2026, the programme features a number of different projectsRunning until 2026, the programme features a number of different projects (Image: Supplied)

In preparation for the autumn/winter training sessions, HCT is recruiting tutors. More details can be found at hampshireculture.org.uk/gosport-heritage-generator.