A PROJECT to preserve the history and memories of former Marconi company employees has been given a grant of £93,000.

The Essex Record Office was awarded the money by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Called Communicating Connections: Sharing the heritage of the Marconi Company’s wireless world, it is part of Essex 2020.

It aims to preserve the memories of former employees and others involved with Marconi through interviews recorded by volunteers.

Further funding has also come from Chelmsford City Council’s Essex 2020 fund, which provided £2,000, and the Friends of Historic Essex.

Founded by Guglielmo Marconi, the company is famous for making the first transatlantic wireless communication.

Residents and visitors will be able to learn more about Marconi, and the company’s connections to Chelmsford, via an audio trail app which will be developed.

A selection of more than 150,000 images at the Essex Record Office and Chelmsford Museums will be digitised and made available to the public.

Susan Barker, Essex County Council cabinet member for culture, described the grant as “absolutely wonderful”.