Residents across Cambridgeshire are being encouraged to show how they have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by sharing videos and memories as part of a national archive project.
Organised by community interest company Heritage For All, the ‘MyCovid19Story’ project, which started in Soham, aims to compile everyday experiences of the lockdown for future generations and accessed by historians looking back on life in the UK in 2020.
People are encouraged to upload short videos of life during the pandemic to create authentic records of how people have been affected during the crisis, which will in turn act as a collection of oral memories.
Former archaeologist Frank Crosby, from Soham and co-founder and director of Tricolor Ltd. that has helped deliver regeneration initiatives, directs the project and has worked with museums and archives across the UK to connect audiences with their heritage.
“We feel that the lives of all sorts of people should be documented now so historians can understand how they were impacted by the health threats and confinement during lockdown,” he said.
“Being based in Cambridgeshire, we would welcome submissions from local people so we can document this era in modern life.”
A range of different stories is being sought after, such as from those who have had the virus, and with more people sharing their thoughts, Mr Crosby believes more voices can be heard and kept for years to come.
“The people who have taken part already have provided some varied stories, ranging from people living alone to those seeing their businesses impacted by the lockdown,” he said.
“We want to hear about home-schooling, being furloughed, working from home, and about having the virus itself.
“Speaking in their own words, it resonates far more than the official versions of the past few months. By gathering more, we can ensure their voices are heard to share their experiences for future generations.”
Anyone wanting to get involved has to film a short video on a smartphone or tablet, then upload it to the MyCovid19Story Facebook group or email to heritageforallCIC@gmail.com.
The Facebook group features a simple upload tool, which allows users to save pre-recorded videos for the archive.
For more information, visit https://heritageforall.org.uk/ or go to the MyCovid19Story Facebook page.
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