NORTH Somerset Council's library service is urging local people to share their stories and objects from the Second World War.

Two events will be hosted. The first will take place in Weston Library on Saturday, November 11, between 10am and 3pm.

The second will take place at Portishead Library on Monday, December 4, between 10am and 3pm.

These are both part of a national campaign organised by Their Finest Hour, a team based at the University of Oxford and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The stories and associated objects, such as journals, medals, ration books, will be recorded, digitised, and then uploaded to the Their Finest Hour online archive, which will launch in June 2024 and be free to use.

The Their Finest Hour website reads: "We are doing this now because the stories and objects of the men, women, and children who were part of the 1939-1945 generation are being lost.

"Very few families in the British Empire and the Commonwealth were untouched by the war.

"In what was a truly global conflict, over 8.5 million people from the Empire and Dominions served in all major theatres of the war. Many of those affected have since passed their stories and objects onto their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom now act as custodians of their relatives’ remarkable legacy."

Dr Stuart Lee, Their Finest Hour project leader, said: “We’re delighted to be able to create an archive of memories of the Second World War.

"We know from previous projects that people have so many wonderful objects, photos, and anecdotes which have been passed down from family members which are at risk of getting lost or being forgotten.

"Our aim is to empower local communities to digitally preserve these stories and objects before they are lost to posterity.”

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: “As stories about the Second World War are fast fading from living memory, it is vital that they – and the wartime objects that often accompany them – are preserved for future generations.

"I’m delighted that our library service is taking part in this important national project.”

The team are especially interested in contributions from people from underrepresented backgrounds.