£5k awarded to Miners Memorial & Oral History Project

Today, Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for Copeland awarded £5k towards the Miners Memorial & Oral History Project. The £35k project aims to provide a lasting memorial to the men and women who worked in the coal mining industry in West Cumbria. 

The project includes: 

• The commissioning and erection of a memorial statue to commemorate those who worked in the mining industry in the Whitehaven area. The statue will act as a 'signpost' for Haig Mining Museum 
• A series of reminiscence groups will be set up for women who used to be 'screen lasses'. Screen lasses were the women who used to work on the conveyor belts that brought coal up to the surface. 
• To produce a booklet and cd-rom on the life and times of 'screen lasses' which will become available to schools, libraries, residential homes and museums in West Cumbria. 
• To collect memorabilia and articles associated with 'screen lasses' so an exhibition can be set up and displayed at Haig Museum. 
• Setting up groups of young people to work with the material produced by the reminiscence groups to develop a play through a series of workshops. The play will be performed for ex screen lasses and ex miners at the Whitehaven Miners Welfare Club.      

County Councillor Simon Leyton, Vice-Chair of the Local Committee says 

"The mining industry has played a major role in the history of Whitehaven and the work of the ex employees needs to be recognised. It is a wonderful idea to get the school children involved in the production of the memorial statue. I am delighted that this Committee has been able to support this worthwhile project alongside other organisations. It will give everyone, both young and old, an opportunity to learn about the coal mining industry in West Cumbria and I wish it every success."