BBC World War One At Home Live Event comes to Devon

BBC Radio Devon will play host to the BBC World War One At Home Live Event when it appears at the Okehampton Show on 14 August 2014. The special event will reflect the dramatic impact the war had on families and communities across Devon, and help visitors to explore their own relatives’ links to the war.

The BBC World War One At Home Live Event is a family-friendly event which includes hands-on activities, performances and interactive sessions designed to appeal to everyone aged from eight to 80-plus. The events are intended to bring to life the World War One At Home stories that listeners will have heard on their BBC Local Radio stations across the country this year.

Visitors will be able to make their own “ID permits” and meet experts from Imperial War Museums to find out more about Lives of the First World War, and how they can piece together their own First World War connections, and create a permanent digital memorial.

Visitors can also meet the team from BBC Radio Devon as they broadcast live from the site.

Mark Grinnell, Editor, BBC Radio Devon said: “This World War One At Home event in Okehampton will give people a fascinating insight into what life was like on the Home Front 100 years ago.  There will be activities for people to get involved in including: hearing from local historians about what was happening in Devon 100 years ago, learning about Morse Code and  the chance to report from the front line.

There are admission charges for The Okehampton Show http://www.okehamptonshow.co.uk/ but the BBC World War One At Home Live Event’s activities are free of charge. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/ww1 for further details.

World War One At Home is an ambitious project by BBC English Regions which this year is featuring 1,400 stories on BBC Local Radio and online about life on the Home Front.

The World War One At Home Live Events is a partnership between BBC Learning and BBC English Regions. The BBC also continues its partnership with Imperial War Museums (IWM) during the Centenary commemorations and IWM's Lives of the First World War (www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/) will be an integral part of the tour.

14-18 NOW www.1418now.org.uk  are also key partners, and visitors to the BBC World War One At Home Live Events will be invited to take part in the UK-wide project Letter to An Unknown Soldier www.1418now.org.uk/letter/ , inspired by the famous memorial statue of a soldier at Paddington Station in London.

Other partners at the events include: The Royal Signals Museum; Royal Pigeon Racing Association and The Royal College of Pathologists.