Making Our Mark

Celebrating Walsall’s unique heritage stories.

Discover and share your community’s heritage.

Would your Walsall-based community group like to share your unique heritage stories?

Making Our Mark celebrates the rich and diverse heritage of Walsall’s communities. Led by Creative Black Country and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project will give local groups the opportunity to uncover and share their untold heritage stories. Whether it’s exploring cultural traditions, historical events, or community memories, we’re here to help you bring your stories to life!

Please see BSL video below.

How will it work? The project is broken down into three stages:

Explore: We’ll help you understand more about what heritage can mean to your community and gather inspiration by visiting heritage sites, museums, or cultural events, as well as giving your group the opportunity to attend heritage workshops and talks.

Make: Next you’ll be supported in developing your heritage project with help to research ideas, ideas around storytelling, skill-building (including project planning), support around fundraising, using archives and digital tools.

Share: Finally you will bring your stories to life, reaching wider audiences using creative documentation and digital platforms.

Your group will receive up to £1,600 to deliver your idea, along with free training workshops, events and ongoing support from a dedicated Heritage Adviser.

No prior experience is needed - just enthusiasm and a story to tell!

Why get involved?

Making Our Mark supports community groups to:

Build skills in heritage storytelling, from oral history to digital documentation.
Strengthen connections within Walsall’s heritage sector.
Celebrate shared histories and create meaningful community projects.

How to get involved?

Community groups of all types are welcome, including cultural organisations, youth clubs, religious groups, and support groups. If you’re passionate about heritage but unsure where to start, we’re here to help every step of the way.

Don’t worry if you’re not ready just yet - there will be future opportunities to get involved.

What is meant by ‘HERITAGE’?

Here’s some examples of what you could explore through a project. Please note that these are just some suggestions but you might have other ideas. You can discuss them with the Heritage Adviser if you are unsure or would like further guidance.

Cultural traditions – exploring the history and identity of different communities through things like dance, theatre, food, clothing or language. This could be anything that’s passed down or brings people together.

Nature – protecting local wildlife and green spaces, or helping people feel more connected to the natural world around them.

Oral histories – collecting and sharing people’s stories, songs and memories to help others understand the past and how things have changed.

Commemorations and celebrations – marking important moments in time or telling the stories of people and places that matter to a community.

Interested?

Want to learn more or discuss your idea? First check below if you are eligible - if you are…

Or directly get in touch with your Heritage Adviser at: rayna@creativeblackcountry.co.uk

Please note: For cohort 2025 we are supporting 7 groups, and for the 2026 cohort we are supporting 8 groups.

IMPORTANT DATES

Applications open on the 22nd May 2025.

Application deadline: 22nd June 2025.

Decision notifications: 4th July 2025.

How to apply

You’ll need to fill out an application form and a monitoring form. If you have any issues with the forms please try the accessible forms below or contact us.

Download the application form HERE.

Download the monitoring for HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: If you would prefer, you can also apply through a video application. You’ll still need to answer the questions that are on the application form (and still fill in a monitoring form). Your video should be no more than 8-10 minutes long and emailed to: mom@creativeblackcountry.co.uk.

ACCESS INFORMATION AND ASSETS

About Making Our Mark BSL and Audio descriptions are below as well as links to the accessible application and monitoring forms. If you require further access support please get in touch.

Thanks to Hayley Brown for the BSL video and Sarah-Ann Cromwell for the RSLI and Audio Description.

Download the accessible Application Form here.

Download the accessible Monitoring Form here.

Eligibility Criteria - Check to see if you are you eligible?

Support is available to community groups/organisations wanting to become involved in heritage activity in Walsall.

Groups/organisations must have some terms of reference for working together (i.e. a Constitution or Partnership Agreement).

Community groups and organisations who CAN submit applications:

Voluntary organisations e.g. community groups or clubs, collectives, history societies, groups that meet regularly

Heritage organisations, creative organisations

Public organisations such as libraries, youth centres, etc.

Organisations whose normal activity is not related to heritage but who want to include heritage in what they do e.g. an allotment or residents’ association; youth group, senior citizens group

Not for Profit organisations and community groups, whether registered charities and CICs

Faith groups/organisations

Schools i.e. affiliated parent/community groups. The activity should engage the wider community, and the grant cannot be used to subsidise work as part of the school’s curriculum

The following organisations CANNOT receive support from this programme:

Organisations that share out profits to members or shareholders

University students using this grant to fund their heritage projects as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate course

Those running activities that do not benefit people living in Walsall

Activities that are already taking place or have already been completed (this must be a new activity)

FAQ’s

1. How much funding is available?
You will receive £1600, providing all project stages, including evaluation, are completed.
2. Do we need a bank account or insurance?
Yes, your group must have a community bank account and public liability insurance. Contact us for guidance if needed.
3. What counts as a community group?
A group of individuals working towards a shared goal for community benefit.
4. Can we get help with our application?
Yes, email us to arrange a conversation with our Heritage Adviser - rayna@creativeblackcountry.co.uk

Important information - if successful:

You will need to provide us with a blank cheque/paying-in slip as proof of the official organisation’s bank account.

You will need to provide an official letter from your community group/organisation stating that the group’s lead has permission to sign contracts on its behalf.

Your group/organisation will need to complete short evaluation forms pre-project, and at the following stages: Explore, Make and Share (completion of the project).

You will need to provide basic documentation of the activity. This could be photographs, film, recordings and/or photography or online documentation, adhering to The National Lottery Heritage Fund Digital Licensing good practice guide. We will provide this information to support you with the process.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary consents or permissions in place to undertake your project. We will provide you with our universal consent form.

You will need to be able to start your project as soon as you’ve been informed of our decision on your application. We will get back to you as quickly as we can after the deadline.

If you require further access support please get in touch.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Making Our Mark is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support communities based in Walsall to celebrate their rich and diverse heritage.