North Down Museum Wants Your Stories

North Down Museum is collecting and recording information on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ards and North Down so in years to come people will understand its impact on the area and how we lived through it. 

During this pandemic, we are living through a moment in history. These stories, memories, artwork, poems, photos and videos need to be collected from people around the borough so we can store them in our COVID-19 Pandemic Archive. This archive will then become an important resource for future generations.

They are keen to collect the experiences of individuals, through:

• Stories, memories or thoughts relating to the pandemic in the borough
• Photographs, drawings or sketches
• Video, audio or sound files (you can use your phone!)

SERC has started sharing our stories from staff and students in many forms; our kind staff who dedicated time to make PPE, our Performing Art students making a COVID-19 time capsule, and our Animal Management students taking the colleges' Animal House occupants home to care for them are just a few of the many stories and experiences we have been sharing.  

How has Covid-19 affected you?  Some things to consider:

• How has your work been affected? Are you working from home, have you been furloughed? Perhaps you’re a frontline worker, tell us about your new experiences at work.
• Leisure and exercise – how has the lockdown affected your leisure activity? Do you take your daily exercise? Are you working out at home? Perhaps you’ve become more creative, share your artwork or writing with us.
• Do you go to the supermarkets? How do you find this has changed? Or maybe you’re having your food delivered? How do you find this?
• Your children – how are they coping with being off school? How are you coping with homes-schooling them? Maybe your child could write about their experiences or draw us a nice picture?
• Family and friends? How are you keeping in touch with family and friends? Do you do regular video calls? Have you been organising regular virtual activities like table quizzes, etc.? 
•  Access to medical care and medication? How have you been affected by this?
• Tell us how your find social isolation and social distancing. Have you been separated from your children and grandchildren. Tell us how this makes you feel.
• Unique experiences and inspirational stories. Have you been clapping for the NHS? Are you or do you have any friends or family who are frontline heroes? Do you know anyone who has gone above and beyond to help others in the current situation? Tell us about your story.  

Please don’t give any personal details in your stories. Your submissions may be shared on the museum’s website and social media or used in future exhibitions – both digitally and in the museum. 

How can you share your story?

• Please email us at: museum@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk
• For bigger files, for example sound files or videos, please use a free file sharing service e.g. Wetransfer  

Or you can write to them:

Covid-19 Stories

North Down Museum

Town Hall

The Castle

Bangor

BT20 4BT 

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