Efforts to set up a community-based programme of research, events and activities exploring the heritage of Derry-Londonderry's Walled City, Northern Ireland, have received a boost.

The Holywell Trust has secured £446,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help its bid to engage people in the history of the defensive walls. Derry-Londonderry is one of the oldest cities in Ireland and thought to be the last to feature a complete set of walls, which date back nearly 400 years.

The three-year DIVERSCITY Programme will 'reclaim' the walls for community use and is being carried out alongside Derry City Council, ILEX and the Walled City Parnership. Paul Mullan, head of HLF Northern Ireland, said: "This award is particularly timely, and will be of huge importance in putting heritage firmly at the heart of the first UK City of Culture celebrations in 2013.

"The Walls will be reclaimed for the people of the City, creating a new sense of ownership and civic pride towards one of the region's greatest heritage assets." Holywell Trust director Eamonn Deane added: "It gives us an opportunity to develop processes of partnership and collaboration as we deepen our understanding of past events so that we may create an inclusive future."

Image: SeanMack