Historypin Connections project set to launch

At Tyne & Wear Archives there might be 14km of shelving but that doesn’t mean you can’t go virtual, travel through time – and make friends whilst you’re at it.

On Wednesday 21 September 2016, the Outreach team launches Historypin Connections, an inspiring social history project that will capture precious memories as part of an ongoing mission to preserve the past for the future in new and innovative ways.

The project brings together people from different generations and cultures to explore and share their rich and unique histories. It’ll also help older people at risk of isolation reconnect with the community.

Combining photographs, documents and archive images to trigger memories and promote discussion, participants will digitise photos, collect stories and record oral histories. They will then share them on historypin.org – an award-winning community website that helps groups around the world share and explore local history, and make new connections.

On hand to help launch the project will be a group from Age UK North Tyneside called the ‘Time Travellers’ who earned the name through their involvement in the early stages of the project. Partners, participants, volunteers, museum staff and Historypin colleagues are also set to attend the launch.

Michael Ambjorn, CEO of Historypin, said:

"People light up when they hear a good story. And when sharing one. It is the quickest way known to create connection. We’re excited to be working on this life-reaffirming and ultimately life-inspiring project doing exactly that. It brings together an incredibly strong set of partners with support from Big Lottery. Watch this space for more as this starts accelerating."

‘Time Traveller’ Norman Dowson added:

"I got involved with Age UK and this had led me to Historypin, which I think is a fantastic thing, because throughout life, your life takes certain turns and it’s not always that your family know what’s happened in the past. Without these projects going on, I don’t know where we would be. All I can say is for the last 2 months, there’s sort of a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.

"To share my story, it’s there for future generations, for my two boys if they would like to see it and any of the other family. I think this is a wonderful thing because somewhere out there, there might be someone that I met years ago and all of a sudden I might get a phone call, which would be tremendous."

Working with local services and voluntary organisations, the project will offer digital skills training for volunteers and partners in presenting the stories online and to showcase at public events.

Historypin, the lead organisation, is a non-profit and the project is funded under the Big Lottery Fund’s Accelerating Ideas programme. The Historypin Connections project will work with three main partners in each area of initial delivery - Leeds Library and Information Service, Norfolk Library and Information Service and Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

Within Tyne and Wear, the Outreach team based at the Discovery Museum will be delivering the project across Tyneside between now and June 2017, working with partner agencies such as:

• North Tyneside – Age UK and the Linskill Centre, an extra care development in North Shields
• South Tyneside – Age UK, The Alzheimers Society and Sight Service
• Gateshead – Sight Service, a service for visually impaired people
• Newcastle Upon Tyne – Chain Reaction, who promote the use of community-based resources and facilities and encourage people to lead happier, healthier lives.
• The Angelou Centre – a women’s centre that empowers Black and Minority Ethnic women and girls
• St James’ Heritage & Environment Group
• SEARCH – a community based volunteer project for older people in Inner West of Newcastle
• St James’ Centre for Heritage & Culture and West Newcastle Picture History Collection.

Get involved at the Historypin Connections launch event

Wednesday 21 September 2016, 1-3pm, Tyne and Wear Archives, based at Discovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4JA

For more information contact:

Clara Shield Assistant Outreach Officer 0191 2772332

Joanne Charlton Assistant Outreach Officer 0191 2772297