Heddon-on-the-Wall Christian Heritage Centre

Northumberland

Involving the local community in researching the history of St Andrew's Church, which dates back to 652 AD. The group will receive training in oral history from the local Oral History Centre and will involve the local community by inviting them to share their memories of the church and village.

Old photographs will be collected as part of consultation events. A professional writer will work alongside children and older members of the community to assist with the interpretation of the collected reminiscences, producing written accounts as a record of the project. Local awareness of the church will be promoted through a mobile exhibition, events, schools involvement and a project website.

Other outputs will include guided walks, produced in association with the Ramblers Association, a community celebration, CD ROM and walk leaflets available to the local community. Skills will be developed in planning, recording and interpreting oral reminiscences, website design and IT, photography and researching records. Information gathered by the oral history will be fed into the Regional Oral History Database managed by Tyne and Wear Archives.