Residents asked to contribute to digital archive documenting lockdown life in Northampton

Residents are asked to submit contributions to the lockdown digital archive.

A new digital archive documenting lockdown life in Northampton is set to be curated by the town council and residents are being asked to contribute.

Northampton Town Council is leading the project that aims to serve as a record of life throughout the lockdown period of 2020 and how it changed lives.

From the empty streets and departure lounges, toilet roll and pasta shortages, reliance on food deliveries and food banks, NHS laundry bags for PPE, facemasks and hand sanitiser, new pets, mass-vaccination and more any memories of lockdown are welcome.

Councillor Jane Birch said: "Whilst we recognise the Covid-19 outbreak is far from over, we hope that this archive will serve as a record of the different individual experiences of the pandemic that will provide an insight into lockdown life within the community for future generations to come.”

Northampton Town Council wants diary entries, photographs, short stories, poems, paintings, short videos, reflective quilts, knitting projects, rainbow art, sketches and songs from residents.

Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Rufia Ashraf added: "We want this collection to represent the community as a whole and celebrate its diversity by including as many different voices from the community as possible, from all ages and ethnic backgrounds.”

Submissions are now open and people of all ages, backgrounds and community groups are invited to submit personal reflections and images that symbolise the change the pandemic has had on everyday life for them.

All work submitted will be exhibited in an online archive or eBook.

Submissions are welcomed in any medium, including but not limited to, paintings, sculptures, moving images, photography, drawings, performances, music and written word including poetry, micro-fiction or even a comic strip.

The submission deadline is December 1. For more information and to make a submission visit the Town Council website here.

The council is also asking residents to share contributions to social media using the #NNReflections handle.

For further enquiries contact at [email protected]