Extra Time

Extra Time demonstrated that creative, inclusive heritage projects can bring people together, improve wellbeing, build skills, and transform how communities understand and value their shared history.

Extra Time was a 3-year (2023–2026) creative intergenerational heritage project; it brought different generations together to explore and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of grassroots football in Suffolk and, in so doing, make connections with one another and the places they lived.

There were 5 iterations of the main programme – 3 in Lowestoft, 1 in Halesworth and the 5th took place in Leiston. Extra Time also delivered outreach work in schools, care homes and other community settings plus public workshops in locations as diverse as public parks, town libraries and on the beach. Extra Time not only used archive materials to explore the county’s sporting heritage, it collected audio recordings of individuals’ stories and curated them into custom-made Story Boxes, thus preserving them for future generations to enjoy.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Associations for Suffolk Museums and Lowestoft Rising, Extra Time aimed to increase participation in heritage, improve wellbeing, develop skills, and deepen understanding of local history.

Extra Time: –

• delivered 130 sessions
• worked with 1,735 individuals
• reached an audience of 13,063 people.

A team of artists and other professionals worked together to devise and deliver a creative programme, giving participants the opportunity to: –

• Explore local football heritage using archives, photos, and oral histories
• Create artwork, e.g. poems, banners, trophies, models, and games
• Contribute over 70 individual football stories to three Football Story Boxes, for future generations to enjoy
• Share their learning through exhibitions, blogs, and digital content.

Main Outcomes

Extra Time increased engagement in heritage by: –

• Involving diverse and underrepresented groups (children, older adults, people with disabilities)
• Shifting perceptions of heritage from “old objects” to lived experiences and community stories
• Encouraging ongoing engagement (e.g. revisiting archives, sharing stories).

Extra Time enhanced individuals’ sense of wellbeing; a variety of evaluation techniques, including Most Significant Change stories, demonstrate strong evidence of increased:

• Confidence
• Social connection
• Sense of purpose
• Participants formed meaningful intergenerational relationships.
• Activities led to visible joy, engagement, and emotional growth.

There is strong evidence of skills development throughout the project, including: –

• Social and communication skills
• Confidence and self-expression
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Creative skills (art, poetry, craft)
• Research and historical enquiry skills.

Extra Time participants acquired a better understanding of heritage, as they:

• Learned how to research, interpret, and present history
• Gained pride in local identity and history
• Produced creative work making heritage accessible, relevant, and engaging.

Involvement in the Extra Time project resulted in lasting changes in attitudes and actions, with participants being more likely to:

• Visit museums and archives
• Share stories with others
• Continue learning about history
• Challenged stereotypes about age and who “owns” heritage
• Build a sense of belonging and community pride.

Wider Impact

Extra Time

• Strengthened community connections and intergenerational understanding
• Created lasting resources (Story Boxes) for care homes and archives
• Influenced museum and education practices
• Demonstrated that heritage can improve wellbeing through creativity and connection.

You can read the full report here

With thanks to National Lottery players.