Unique children’s history project inspired by Lincoln actor Colin McFarlane - Lincolnshire Echo

Lincoln actor Colin McFarlane will launch a history project in the city next week

A unique history project inspired by Lincoln actor and star of Batman and Dr Who Colin McFarlane is set to be launched.

Following a successful pilot in 2011, the Making History project, specially aimed at children, rolls out in May across 14 schools and 400 youngsters in Lincoln and London.

The scheme is designed to help children discover something in their family history surrounding the Great War that inspires them to follow their dreams.

Schoolchildren will be working on iPads using software and research tools from family history specialists MyHeritage and Findmypast. They will also get support from a host of professional mentors like Dr Nick Barratt and firm Fraser and Fraser, from the BBC's Heir Hunters show.

Students will then turn their personal stories into short films that will be screened at the climax of the project in November in Lincoln and the British Film Institute in London.

The scheme will be launched by Mr McFarlane, well known to millions after roles in a catalogue of top TV dramas and comedies as well as voicing dozens of children's TV cartoon characters and an impressive film career, on Monday, May 18 at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life's WWI Tank at 11am and The Lincoln Hotel at noon.

He will be joined by Neil Fraser from Fraser and Fraser, Laurence Harris of MyHeritage, Andrea Martin of Lincoln Heritage, David Kirtlan of Elsium Solutions (Apple Education trainers), University of Lincoln student mentors and pupils and teachers from the participating Lincoln schools.

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