The Bradford Bulls Foundation was today awarded about £200,000 to fund a heritage project focusing on Odsal Stadium’s key role in sporting, cultural and social history.

The grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund to support the Past Times project, will see the West Yorkshire Archives Service and Huddersfield University work with the foundation to deliver the three-year project, focusing on the stadium’s role from its construction in 1934 to 1966.

It will offer volunteering and learning opportunities for people of all ages and aims to help save the wealth of memorabilia and archive material housed at the stadium.

People who live in the area will be involved in the project, documenting historical artefacts, learning state-of-the-art archiving techniques and recording memories in relation to the stadium’s history.

Bradford Bulls Foundation chairman Ryan Duckett said: “This award by the HLF will allow us to provide a valuable and unique resource to be enjoyed by current and future citizens of Bradford and the wider community across West Yorkshire.”

Fiona Spiers, head of the HLF for the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “People from across the community will be able to volunteer, learn new skills and play a part in protecting this special slice of their local history for future generations to come.”

Heritage events and stadium tours will be held for up to 50 local schools during the first two years of the project. The project will also produce a book, website, DVD and displays at the stadium for wider audiences to learn about the importance of the sporting venue.

The stadium’s lesser known story played a key role within the social fabric of the local community between 1934 and 1966.

Traditionally known as one of the UK’s top homes of Rugby League, the stadium also played host to a variety of sports from cricket to speedway, baseball to showjumping.

During the Second World War it was also home to Dig for Britain, the Air Raid Communications Centre for the North and host to a religious festival and pageants.