Film festival explores young people's links to past

The military relied on women tasked with making rifles in places such as Rotherham

A series of films exploring what heritage means to young people are set to be shown at Wentworth Woodhouse.

From the story of a woman making munitions during World War Two to the tale of a wannabe Viking, the films are being screened as part of the Big House, Short Films festival.

The event is part of Perception Busters, a youth-led film project developed by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust for Rotherham's Children's Capital of Culture 2025.

Victoria Ryves, from the trust said: "Perception Busters has empowered young people to connect with their past and take pride in their present."

Among the young filmmakers, 17-year-old Ava Lockey chose to focus on her grandmother, Hilda Hutton, and her contribution to the war effort manufacturing guns in Maltby.

She said her grandmother had wanted to join the WRENS but "when that proved impossible, she decided to do her duty by making arms for British troops".

"At the age of 27, she went to work at the Royal Ordnance Factory in Maltby, joining the team of local women manufacturing Lee-Enfield rifles and STEN submachine guns.

"Their story was relatively unknown, because they had to sign the Official Secrets Act.

"She was also one of the women who had to test the weapons by firing them. She was only 4ft 10in (147cm), so that must have been quite challenging for her."

Wartime life saw Hilda Hutton finding an outlet to help those on the frontline

Pia Woods, 17, chose to make a mockumentary about a fictional teen's quest for identity after discovering he is 1% Viking.

"He becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming a Viking and it damages his relationship with his father," she said.

"There's a big idea in society that we heave to search the past to become who we are meant to be.

"But becoming obsessed with conforming to a particular culture or persona sacrifices other parts of yourself."

An obsession with his past messes up the life of a would-be Viking in one film

Big House, Short Film will take place at Wentworth Woodhouse on between 18:00 and 21:00 GMT on 15 November.

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