The Reader is capturing Covid memories from the community
Liverpool’s The Reader is encouraging people to share their stories of living through the coronavirus pandemic for a new community scrapbook of memories.
The Commonplace Book will capture the individual ways people have found to cope with the crisis and preserve their memories for future generations.
The history of the ‘Commonplace Book’ goes back many centuries to Ancient Greece and Rome. They were particularly popular during the Renaissance, and writers like John Milton, Francis Bacon, Virginia Woolf and E M Forster are among those to use them to catalogue their ideas.
Often these scrapbooks of thoughts and ideas included quotes, theories, speeches, prayers, poems and even recipes.
Anna Farrell, Head of Calderstones Programmes at The Reader, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic and the summer of 2020 have been unlike anything in living memory, and will become part of our history and story when people look back in years to come.
“As the current custodians of the Mansion House in Calderstones Park, we have a part to play in helping to capture momentous occasions, to help people to reflect but also to preserve our stories for future generations.
“Our Calderstones commonplace book will be like a scrapbook, recording the ups, downs and everything in between. Everyone is welcome to contribute.
“We’re looking for comforting lockdown recipes, quotes from books and poems, letters and photographs, arts and craft, and thought-provoking ideas.
“We hope one day to display it at the Mansion House for all to see so we can look back on it in the future to inspire us.”
To get involved, download the Commonplace Book pack from The Reader website HERE.
Alternatively you can submit a request to receive one in the post, or can pick up a pack in The Reader Shop at Calderstones which is open from noon-4pm, Thursday to Sunday.
Completed entries can be submitted at the Mansion House or sent in by post or email to: The Mansion House, Calderstones Park, Liverpool / programmes@thereader.org.uk.
The deadline for submissions is 9am on Thursday December 6.