A YOUNG persons arts group has been awarded the Heritage award at the National Creative Learning Awards.

New Focus, based at Impressions Gallery in City Park, picked up the award for its No Man's Land project, funded by the Heritage Lottery, which explored the First World War from women's viewpoints.

In the project, New Focus worked with the Peace Museum, Imperial War Museum and University of Leeds, exploring archives and taking part in workshops to create a book bringing the Great War to life through the eyes of women. The book has been distributed to more than 40 schools and libraries in the district, and the group has run workshops on the topic.

Jennifer Sobol, New Focus project manager, said: "I feel incredibly proud of every New Focus member who worked on this project.

"Winning this award is a huge boost for New Focus and a national endorsement of the value of our group’s work.

"The award helps us stand out as innovative creative people, and is a major external affirmation, that will support us to develop more ambitious projects in the future.”

New Focus gives 16 to 25-year-olds in Bradford the opportunity to get involved in photography projects and develop their skills for future careers.

Benjamin Heaton, a member of New Focus, added: "I’m ecstatic that we won, I have never felt so proud of myself.

"It was incredible to be at the awards ceremony, we feel privileged and honoured to have won in the Heritage category from the many entries the Creative Learning Guild receive."

Esme Ward, director of Manchester Museum, sat on the judging panel for the Creative Learning Guild, a Yorkshire-based charity which runs the awards and supports grassroots creative learning.

She said: “This is a brilliant project and publication. I applaud its commitment to challenging and breaking stereotypes.

"Participants have worked together to make the past relevant and resonant to today and their lives. The imaginative peer led publication will be a school based resource for the future.

"The commitment to inclusion runs throughout the entire project; from participants, events and workshops to book distribution to students and teachers.

"I hope award encourages New Focus to develop with ever bigger and bolder ambition - as individuals, as a collective and as creatives in their city and that it raises the profile and supports future plans to ensure New Focus continue to make, create, take pride in and lead change in their communities."