85th Anniversary Heritage Project

85 years of Lancashire voices: Preserving memories before they are lost

Age UK Lancashire are proud to be delivering an exciting heritage project to celebrate our 85th Anniversary in 2026.

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project led by Dr Brandon Taylorian as Heritage Project Manager will explore the history of Age UK Lancashire and the experiences of ageing across generations since our founding in 1941.

We are discovering, recording, and preserving the rich memories, stories, and experiences of older people from across Lancashire before they are lost. Through oral history interviews, archive research, and community engagement, we are creating a lasting record of how communities and ageing in Lancashire have changed over the past 85 years.

What we’re discovering: Early insights & themes

With over 125 interviewees already recruited - ranging from WWII veterans to retired school teachers, those born and bred in Lancashire to more recent arrivals, and everyone in between - fascinating insights and social shifts are already coming to light:

• Freedom in Childhood: Many participants fondly contrast modern childhoods with their own, remembering an era filled with greater freedom to play out on the streets and explore locally.

• The Evolving "Village": Interviewees frequently reflect on changing social connections, noting that the traditional notion of "the village" has shifted and people today often have less day-to-day interaction with neighbours.

• A New Era of Care & Wellbeing: Many recalled the rigid "institutions" their grandparents experienced, expressing appreciation for how care has shifted toward wellbeing, independence, and the importance of a safe, comfortable home environment.

Powering the project: Meet our volunteers

Our project is brought to life by more than 20 dedicated local volunteers gifting their time to conduct interviews and preserve real-life history. Meet Bernie, one of our volunteer interviewers:

In the community:

From day one, community outreach has been at the heart of this project.

Initially, Dr Brandon and our volunteers hit the road, visiting local community groups, social hubs, and open days across Lancashire to ensure we actively sought out diverse perspectives from every corner of the county and captured voices that might otherwise have gone unrepresented.

With this rich cohort of storytellers now established, our focus has expanded to promoting the project county-wide and inspiring local communities to engage with their county's heritage, rediscovering the real, everyday history right on their doorstep.