HOW members of the public can help preserve one of the most spectacular and historic industrial sites in South Cumbria is being explained in a day of events at Coniston on Saturday, September 3.

The Coniston Copper project has received a £455,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to repair the extensive remains of a scheduled monument with a story stretching back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The project is spread over the next two years and will focus on conserving more than 150 items and on the repair, stabilisation and reconstruction of 10 different structures.

It is a partnership between the Lake District National Park, land owners, Grizedale Arts, the Youth Hostel Association Coniston, the Ruskin Museum and Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society.

The project also provides opportunities for people to find out more about Coniston’s mining heritage and really get involved.

The Coniston Institute, on Yewdale Road, Coniston, is hosting a Making Memories event from 11am to 3.30pm where you can meet the Coniston Copper project staff and partners.

You can also find out more about the people who worked in Coniston's copper industry and how to get involved on the project.

Organisers of the Saturday event are also keen to hear your family stories about Coniston copper mines and to see photographs, objects and keepsakes.

From 4pm to 5pm at the Coniston Institute there will be a talk called Coniston Copper talk - 400 years in the making.

You can hear about who was involved, the impact of mining on the village and about the industrial operations which once took place on the fellside.

There is also a Coniston Copper mines tour from 1pm to 3pm led by Warren Allison, of Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society.

Refreshments will be provided at the YHA Coniston Coppermines after the walk.

You can just turn up at the Making Memories event but places need to be booked for the talk and the mines tour by sending an email to archvol@lakedistrict.gov.uk or calling 01524 65206.

On Saturday, September 24, from 11am to 2.30pm there is a Coniston Copper Volunteers Day at the Coniston Sports and Social Club.

There is a range of role for volunteers in the Coniston Copper project.

You could do archaeology to help record the remains of the Coniston Copper mining heritage.

There are opportunities in conservation to help repair and protect the mining heritage remains.

You might want to try guiding on walks of the Coniston Copper mining heritage for different audiences.

There are also opportunities in archive and social history research to uncover information about the mining operations at Coniston and the people involved.

You can book a place by emailing archvol@lakedistrict.gov.uk or calling 01524 65206.

Copper mining at Coniston dates back at least 400 years. Queen Elizabeth I encouraged German workers to bring their advanced mining technology to the Lake District at the end of the 16th century.

Copper was important to the emerging industries of England.

It covered the hulls of ships and made them quicker through the water, it was used in weaponry and for coinage.

You can find out more about the Coniston Copper project on its website at www. conistoncopper.co.uk