Funding has been awarded to help 12 projects across Breckland which commemorate the centenary of the First World War and its impact on local communities.

The World War One Heritage Fund was launched by Breckland Council to support schemes that explore, share and conserve the heritage of the war in the district.

Grants of up to £500 were on offer for a wide range of activities such as documenting the war through film or audio recordings, collecting personal stories and memories of those affected, staging exhibitions, producing books or organising talks.

An independent grant panel, made up of community representatives, council members and military representatives met to assess the applications.

Lynda Turner, Breckland council's deputy leader, said: 'Countless young men from the Breckland district lost their lives in this terrible conflict and there was a devastating effect on those left behind. The Breckland grant scheme was designed to offer practical support to local people who want to mark the centenary, and remember the wider impact of the war on their town or village'.

Details of projects:

-July 12: St Andrew's Church, Little Cressingham – Little Cressingham Heritage Group, £350.

A concert to commemorate the men named on the Roll of Honour at St Andrew's Church. An exhibition will display biographies of the men, memorabilia and service records.

-July 19 and 20: Horningtoft Remembers, Horningtoft Church – Horningtoft Heritage Society, £500.

An exhibition displaying letters, photographs and postcards of the findings of how the village was affected by war, how farmers continued without a workforce and how women contributed to the war effort.

-August 1: War on the Battlefield and back at home, Whissonsett Church – Whissonsett Historians, £200.

An exhibition as part of Open Churches Week displaying village archives and materials focusing on the effect of the war on village life, the provision of allotments and housing after the war and the importance of the war memorial, which will be cleaned as part of the grant.

-August 3: Elsing and the Great War – Elsing History Society, £478.

An exhibition to tell the stories of the Elsing men who went to war, including text, photos and borrowed items. A booklet containing more detailed accounts will be produced by the Heritage Society.

-August 10: Whinburgh and Westfield World War One Memorial Services – Whinburgh and Westfield Parish Council, £126.

A church service to commemorate the seven soldiers who gave their lives, with a short biography of each soldier, a wreath placed at each memorial, an exhibition of photographs and artefacts at the pavilion and poppy planting.

-August 30: Shipdham World War One and World War Two Memoriam Project – Shipdham Parish Council and Royal British Legion, £500.

An event held on the Village Green will remember 39 men from Shipdham who died during the First World War. Military artefacts and vehicles will form part of the exhibition, as well as a film screening of original news footage on a large screen inside a pavilion.

Research will be carried out to collate content for the exhibition and the primary school will be involved in the research production.

-September: Harling Commemorative Open Weekend – Harling Parish Council, £393.

A plaque and bench will be installed in the centre of the village to commemorate the 11 men at Garboldisham Road Cemetery, who were based at RAF Harling Road. Information will be gathered by the Parish Council and local historians from the Harling Social Support Group to form the content of an exhibition.

-September: Where Poppies Bloomed – Tittleshall Parish Council, £500.

The play 'Where Poppies Bloomed' will be researched by a local writer, and performed by an amateur dramatics group at least twice at Tittleshall Village Hall and Wells Granary Theatre. In addition, there will be an exhibition of artefacts, photos, documents relating to the story.

-November: Mattishall War Memorial and Remembrance Service – Mattishall Parish Council, £500.

The creation of a new war memorial on the site of the recently demolished school. Local residents will be asked if they can provide information and photos of their ancestors. The memorial will be unveiled in November, when there will be a service with information shared about the men that lost their lives.

-Garboldisham Service at St John the Baptist Church – Garboldisham Parish Council, £500.

Renovation of the Garboldisham War Memorial and a service of dedication by St John the Baptist Church. The clean up of the surround of the memorial will be assisted by the local school, Rainbows and Brownies, as well as planting poppy seeds. The History Society will collate some detail about the men named on the memorial and a service will be held on Remembrance Day.

-Wayland Partnership, £500.

An extensive research project into the impact of World War One on the Wayland area – how loss of lives affected the local economy, the lives of those left behind, agriculture, attitudes, families and mental health. The project will include local historians and heritage groups, schools, parish councils, UEA Landscape Group and Creative Writing Department.

-Little Dunham Parish Council, £500 towards a commemorative stone at Sporle Airfield.