The Fusilier Museum shortlisted for Aviva Community Fund award

The Fusilier Museum

The Fusilier Museum, Bury has been shortlisted for a national, Aviva Community Fund award for the project entitled 'For Valour - They shall be remembered' which will honour the sacrifice the Lancashire Fusiliers played in World War One and also recognise the role of the communities in the North West, in particular the towns of Bury, Rochdale and Salford who still have strong links with the regiment today.

The museum intends to recognise this sacrifice and the part played by the community through a variety of means including a special exhibition of the 18 VCs won by the Lancashire Fusiliers in WWI (18 for 18); to unveil a specially commissioned stone sculpture in the Gallipoli Garden to commemorate the fallen and 100 years since the armistice. It also intends to commission resident artist, Siobhan Lewis to paint portraits of all 18 Victoria Cross recipients, four of which were from Rochdale. The project is a unique opportunity to tell the stories and commemorate the valour of the 18 recipients and the impact on the families and communities nationally.

One of the VCs in the exhibition was awarded to James Clarke who was born in Winsford, Cheshire but moved to Milnrow in 1913 and worked as a carter for Butterworth Brothers.

The Aviva Community Fund enables organisation to access funding for causes important to communities. The fund which was launched in 2009, funds over 500 projects across four different funding levels and three categories, giving money to communities across the UK.

Now shortlisted the museum needs to secure as many online votes as possible to ensure access to the £20K funding. This is where the museum needs the support and votes of the local community to ensure its success.

Voting is open to the general public now and people can vote up until midday on Tuesday 20 November.

To vote simply click on the link below:

• www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/voting/project/view/4-1480#plus

Everyone who registers has an allocation of 10 votes to give to award to projects. All 10 can be allocated to The Fusilier Museum project should people wish to do so.

The Fusilier Museum in Bury, Lancashire, is home to the collections of XX The Lancashire Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Documenting over 300 years of history and heritage through permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Museum tells the rich and fascinating stories of the people who have served and continue to service in the Regiments.