News

  • Projects Open to all 3 Services and for Service personnel up to 1 year after exit from Service

    Wings to the Past are delighted to announce that our projects are now open to Royal Navy and Army personnel and dependants as well as the Royal Air Force. To support personnel and families to connect Service leavers and their dependents, up to 1 year after exit, can also apply!  See our current opportunities on our projects page, application deadlines are extended. 

  • Projects for 2025

    Wings to the Past Wings to the Past are working with our partners to develop 5 projects for 2025. Watch this space for more information.

  • Tine Team Norton Disney Oct 2024

    30 Service personnel and their families were lucky enough to spend 3 days digging with Time Team in Norton Disney. A great weekend with some amazing finds. The programme will air on YouTube in early 2025.

  • WttP are using Dig School to introduce our project participants to archaeology.

    Thanks to Carenza Lewis for leading the lecture.

  • 2019 Project

    Our first ever project. Working with our Partners the University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire County Council, the 2019 season focused on a site at the universities Riseholme Campus.

  • Impact Report 2025

2025

New Projects for 2025

We are excited to offer a range of archaeological opportunities for serving personnel, service leavers (within one year of exit), and their families. These projects provide hands-on experience in archaeology, working alongside experts to uncover history.

2024

2024 Impact Report

Wings to the Past have partnered with Norton Disney & Time Team

We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Norton disney to provide opportunities for serving personnel & their families to participate in a dig whilst Time Team are on site.

Wings to the Past have won the Flora Murray Award

Wings to the Past won the Flora Murray Award for our archaeological work in lincolnshire and attended the award ceremony hosted by the Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology.

Wings to the Past Impact Report 2023

Wings to the Past are delighted to share our 2023 Impact Report, this report has been generated from the feedback our participants have provided following their attendance at 1 of our projects.  The feedback not only lets us see how we have done in 2023 but it also allows us to more the programme forward and develop new projects. 

2023

The Marsh Community Archaeology Awards

Wings to the Past were delighted to have been shortlisted for the Marsh Community Archaeology Awards 2023. To check out our nomination and the other finalists follow the link below.

We have partnered with Dig Hartlebury

Wings to the Past partners with Hartlebury Castle and Dig Hartlebury, offering 2 RAF personnel or a Service person and family member the chance to excavate a possible English Civil War bastion for 2 days. It's our first project outside Lincolnshire, near Kidderminster. Dig Hartlebury provides 2 spaces on their excavation for July 27 and 28, 2023. Open to all RAF personnel and family members (over 18). Learn more about it below.

Archaeological Field School Bursaries Awarded

We have awarded 2 individuals and a father and daughter places on the Bishop Grosseteste University archaeological field school. These lucky people will spend 2 weeks on an amazing site! Archaeological Field School Bursaries For RAF personnel and their families in June/ July 2023—worth up to £5000. Wings to the Past and Bishop Grosseteste University are delighted to offer 2, 2-week bursaries for RAF personnel and their families to attend their university summer archaeological field school in June/July 2023

Project announced near RAF Cranwell

Wings To The Past worked on a project on July 1st and 2nd, 2023, with permission from the landowner and support from our partner, Bishop Grosseteste University. We welcomed interest from all RAF personnel and their families. The project used various survey methods to learn more about the site, which has not been explored archaeologically. This study will help us understand the site better without disturbing it.

James our Digital Manager attends London awards night

James the inspiration for Wings to the Past and our digital manager at just 15, attended the Celebrating Force Families Awards in London on 28 Apr 23. A finalist in the Young Person Award: Giving Back to the Armed Forces Community, James was treated to a black tie gala dinner. Although he did not win his nomination highlighted his exceptional efforts supporting Wings to the Past.

2023 - Operation Bishops Challenge Project Report

After a very successful fieldwalking weekend on 18 - 19 February we asked our participants to tell us what they thought of the event. We found some great finds and had some great feedback and have now written our report on the event.

2021

AVAR Project

US and UK Veterans searched for Crashed WWII Bomber Crew.

Wings to the Past have been supporting American Veterans Archaeology Recovery on their latest project, click the link below to watch a video of the project.

Wings to the Past needs your support. 

We urgently need funds to allow us to maintain Wings to the past.

Whatever you can give is most gratefully received and accounts will be published after each project to show what your money has been used to support.