A NEW Okehampton local history project is now up and running and hopes to spark memories, encourage conversation and bring people together along with preserving historical records for future generations.
Okehampton Memories, a community-driven project, first began in August 2023, when residents received funding to collate, digitise and share images, stories, videos and audio files on an online platform for all to view.
Simon Lloyd, who has helped to collate much of the material, said: “It’s a work in progress because we have the initial product to give people a taste of it and now it’s getting people involved in it. Just by showing people the website as it’s being built gets people talking.
“We want to encourage images, films and audio from living people now. We have found already that people like the audio and the video and hearing people talking and moving - that’s quite refreshing, rather than seeing lots of pictures.”
The project is currently asking for contributions from the community, which could be old photographs, films, audio recordings, or personal stories to help to build the collection. Project organisers will also offer training opportunities for those eager to engage with the project more and become town histpory ambassadors.
The Okehampton Memories project also hopes to organise a series of events, including sessions with memory cafes, coffee mornings, and talks to provide a space for community members of all ages to come together, share stories, and participate in the adding to Okehampton’s historical archive.
The first project event will be a coffee morning at the Charter Hall, Okehampton on February 10 from 9am - 12pm with the Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton Library, Okehampton Archive, Dartmoor Trust, North Devon Search and Rescue Team Archive, Dartmoor News and local historian Mike Wreford all attending.
The project has been part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Okehampton United Charities, Okehampton Town Council and Everything Okehampton.
To see the collection, visit: www.okehamptonmemories.co.uk or for more information, email: [email protected].