A SMALL local history group in York which took to the web to let more people know about its research into the impact of the First World War on York has won a major national award.

The Clements Hall History Group won the 'digital' category of this year's Community Archives and Heritage Group (CAHG) Awards, presented in Birmingham last week.

The group developed its website and other online platforms with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

It used its website to carry photographs and stories about the war and its impact on South Bank. "As well as stories, such as the impact of the Zeppelin attack on our area and how the war affected Scarcroft School, we are also able to display photographs," said Susan Major, the history group volunteer responsible for web and digital development."We've shown how our local conscientious objectors came from a number of perspectives and backgrounds to war, how the local churches impacted on recruitment, and the role of women in wartime."

The group also used social media to promote blog posts and events. "And in May 2016 we worked with local secondary schools to produce a live twitter feed - @zeppelinWW1live - exactly 100 years from the date of the Zeppelin raid on our area, a moment-by-moment account of the raid, with over 80 tweet," Susan said.

Judges at the CAHG Awards described the group's use of digital and social media as 'textbook'.

Visit the group's website at www.clementshallhistorygroup.org.uk