Transition Town's Anita Roy invites Wellington residents to take up oral history classes:

Are you interested in oral history? Would you like to improve your interviewing skills? Are you curious about other people’s lives and thoughts and how to capture them for the future? Then you might be keen to join Transition Town Wellington’s new oral history project. 

We are looking for keen volunteers from our community to help us record and document people’s life stories in their own words, particularly how they have been involved in helping the environment. This project is part of the International Oral History of the Transition Movement project run by the Oral History Society (OHS) in the UK. 

To kickstart the project, we are offering a two-day workshop led by professional OHS trainer, Rib Davis. During the workshop, you will learn what oral history is, why we do it and what are some of the legal and ethical issues around it. You’ll learn how to set up and run an effective oral history interview, and will have hands-on experience of both interviewing and being interviewed. You’ll also get training in how to use the recording equipment, and how your interviews will be edited and archived for the project. 

Dates: Weds 7th Feb (10am – 4pm), Thurs 8th Feb (10am – 3.30pm)

Venue: Tone Dale House, Milverton Rd, Wellington TA21 0EZ

Cost: £20 per person

Lunch provided on both days. 

After completing the training, each person would be expected to conduct a minimum of two interviews for the project within the following six months. 

This training is open to everyone – you don’t need to be part of the Transition Town group, and you don’t need to have experience in oral history. Beginners are welcome. Places are limited, so book your place soon by registering at: https://forms.gle/2HQ2boxCUEm3RB7k6

Or visit the History page on ttw.org.uk https://ttw.org.uk/groups/oral-history-project/ and follow the instructions. Or email [email protected].