Putting together a memory box

Staff at Stirling Council’s libraries and archives service want to add to their collection of material about the area’s history.

In a new project to be launched this month at Callander, they are appealing for information and photographs of life in our towns and villages from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

It is hoped, through the Re:Collections project, to assemble recollections about individual communities, providing a resource for local and family history and to help those in the area living with dementia.

Council archivist Pam McNicol said: “We are asking people to share their photographs by having them digitally scanned so that we can create a ‘Memory Box’ for each area.

“We are also hoping that people will agree to being interviewed to make sure that those precious memories are recorded for the future.

“There will be a dedicated week at each library branch during which people will be asked to bring in photographs and be interviewed for the oral history project.

“There will also be a drop-in session on the week of the project when people can chat to archives and library staff about how best to store their records, and have memories recorded as part of our oral history project.”

Oral history interviews will also be available at the library plus transcripts for those who prefer to access them in this way.

And the most interesting photographs identified will be featured on the Observer’s popular Memory Lane page.

For dates of Re:Collections events, see posters in your nearest library branch. To find out more, speak to library staff or contact the council archives.