Harleston Players have received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £9,800 for an exciting heritage project, 1620: A New World Odyssey, which will take place in the town. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project will focus on Harleston in the 1620s and the town’s link with the founding of America through the Fuller family.
Supported through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will enable local people to discover the history of the town and get involved in a wide variety of ways. The organisers are looking for anyone who would like to have a go at researching local history from ancient documents, acting or singing, helping to make costumes, banners and props, assisting backstage or with event organisation.
This community-wide project sets out to explore and celebrate the story of Edward and Samuel Fuller who, with family members, sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 to establish a new life and a new colony in America. It was a difficult and dangerous journey into the unknown and they faced numerous challenges.
A new play, written especially for this 400th anniversary by local writer Eileen Ryan, will bring this story to life. Alongside that local people will be researching the stories of other Harleston townsfolk from this period for ‘living history’ enactments to take place around the town centre next July, and be shared through a new publication and on www.visitharleston.org . In the process they will find out how to translate and transcribe original documents and piece together fascinating stories from the past.
Commenting on the award, Cathy Edwards-Gill, Chair of Harleston Players, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players and are looking forward to creating a community project that will bring this fascinating period of history to life.”
