My name is Halina, and I am a Masters student reading International Heritage Management by distance learning at the University of Birmingham. I graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in History in July 2016, and am still living locally.
The Swaythling in the Great War project caught my eye because the period of the First World War is not one that I have studied extensively, yet there seem to be a lot of interesting stories to uncover concerning the role that Swaythling and its inhabitants played within the war effort. Part of the project involves collaboration with the Royal Victoria Country Park and a visit to the site of what was Netley Hospital; I have some prior knowledge of the site and its history due to using it as a case study for a recent assignment.
I’m looking forward to getting out into the community and working with local people; I think that students and residents have a lot to learn from each other, and that this project will highlight the value of local history research!