Migration Stories refocuses North West history

An Invitation to Get Involved!

Would you like to research the story of someone who migrated any time from ancient history to WWII in North West England? The Migration Stories project will provide training, good support and expenses, it’ll get started in early May 2022 and grow gently over a few months.

The project’s called Migration Stories North West https://migrationstoriesnw.uk , it’s headed by Global Link https://globallink.org.uk/ based in Lancaster, and is a partnership with four other organisations across the North West out of which Crossing Footprints is the one covering the wider Manchester region.

This is a 3 year project unearthing histories of migration in the North West from ancient times to the present day, which will re-frame migration as something that has been fundamental to the UK for a very long time. In this first year Crossing Footprints will be recruiting 8-15 voluntary community researchers to each explore local archives to find individual stories, at least one per volunteer, possibly more if time allows and there’s enough material. Manchester-based author Mickela Sonola will initially be working alongside our director Kooj Chuhan to run this project, and we are honoured to have local historian Washington Alcott as a community research associate for Migration Stories North West.

How will Migration Stories North West work?

The group will meet up a few times to include induction / training / visits and discuss the stories that emerge, we will also do our own research in between with support. We plan to start in early May and to each get a basic story mapped out by the end of June. There will then be time to add more details and research up to late September. There is a budget for expenses (travel etc), and each of the five partners will be doing the same in their areas. If you’re interested we’ll try and be as flexible as we can to work around you and support you researching your story.

CLICK HERE for more detailed information about the community researcher role.

This first year focuses on migration stories up to WWII but not later. Stories of migration out of the UK as well as coming into the UK, and also internal migration, can all be included. The second year will focus on school groups doing more recent oral history within their communities, and the third year on generating media and educational outputs using all of this material. An interactive map resource has so far been agreed to be produced with all the stories, as well as some video production of selected stories. A Migration Stories North West exhibition is also in discussion.

There may later be additional funds for a creative arts production to enhance the way the stories are presented and interpreted. The research you undertake would then feed into the artistic production with possible further roles available. Watch this space!

Migration Stories Greater Manchester – get in touch!

NEW REGISTRATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE NOW CLOSED.
If you still would like to get in touch please use our contact form – click here.

Register your interest using the form below, or email us via hello [at] crossingfootprints.com (replace the [at] with an @ symbol).

THIS FORM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE

If you have already filled in the above expression of interest and received an email with more details, then you can register to be involved using the form at https://crossingfootprints.com/migration-stories/registration-form/

Please note: If you are based outside greater Manchester and want to get involved, please go to the main website https://migrationstoriesnw.uk where you’ll find project partners who are covering other areas of the North West – Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria.