Over the ten days, there were over 59,000 visits to The Forum to immerse themselves in what life was like in WWII Norfolk, and expand their knowledge of the presence, influence and relationships with the US Army Air Forces that were stationed here.
You can see more about the Silver Wings project here, including recordings of two talks that took place: one from the family of American Red Cross worker Margaret Fahey, and another from Dr John Curatola of the National WWII Museum, USA.
Talks at The Forum
Alongside the hundreds of events taking place across Norfolk, we curated a series of talks taking place in The Forum Auditorium. These talks invited everybody to learn more about Norwich and Norfolk, and the stories they hold. They explored the subjects relating to the year's theme: "Building Norwich" with the Norwich Society's Vanessa Trevelyan, "From Blickling to Bayt-al-Razzaz" with Heather Jermy the General Manager at Blickling Estate, and "Campaigning for New Life for Threatened Buildings" with the SAVE Britain's Heritage Conservation Officer, Lydia Franklin.
More than 200 organisations and voluntary groups across Norfolk hosted events that celebrated the exciting history of the county and brought communities closer together. The festival’s wonderful ability to involve partners from the voluntary, community, arts, culture, and business sectors allowed us to reach a wide and diverse audience, helping to deepen everyone's connection to local heritage.
The festival’s success truly reflects the passion and dedication of the organisers and volunteers, whose heartfelt efforts led to numerous positive outcomes, including increased visitor numbers, heightened public interest, and higher donations.
