What's Your Story genealogy scheme in lottery boost

A project to help people across Tyne and Wear unearth their family history has been given a £45,000 lottery grant.

The What's Your Story project is based at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle and run by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums.

The Heritage lottery Fund cash will enable people to research and share families' histories.

Led by 12 volunteers, the project will offer training in how to access Tyne and Wear's main archives.

'Tell stories'

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North East, Ivor Crowther, said: "This kind of project demonstrates how people's personal heritage in the North East has become a popular subject."

Iain Watson, director of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, added: "By encouraging local people to uncover records and share their family history, we hope this will give resonance to the 2011 census which is also happening this year.

"The project will encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to join in and tell their stories, including approximately 2,200 primary school children who will take part in a variety of activities including work-shops and family fun days."