AN initial six-month project to interview residents of Crediton and the surrounding areas about their memories of the past has been so successful that Crediton Library is going to continue running the interviews into the future.

The oral history Reminiscence Project was set up after the library was successful in securing a grant from Devon County Council’s “Growing Communities Fund” in the autumn of 2022.

A group of volunteer interviewers meet with those who want to be interviewed, either in their own homes or in the library itself, and chat informally about the interviewees memories – school life, work, holidays, interesting events and much more.

Some of those interviewed have lived in the Crediton area for their whole lives and others relocated here from elsewhere.

The project has brought many extra benefits as well as recording information about Crediton’s history as the library’s project lead, Mark Norman, explained.

“The original six-month funded project was part of the winter Warm Libraries initiative to provide a welcoming social space for everyone in the community. “Our interviewees were able to spend time in a warm setting, with a free hot drink and some interesting conversation.

“Also, many people were interviewed in their own homes.

“For some of our interviewees, who may have mobility problems or not have family in the area, these visits brought welcome social interaction and had very positive effects on their mental health and wellbeing.

“The Reminiscence Project is about so much more than the historical element.”

That said, as you would expect, the conversations have captured a wealth of interesting stories such as the farmer’s wife who transported 200 chicks from Tiverton to Crediton by bus in a box, the meteorite that struck the church at Morchard Bishop and the day in 1980 when the NHS delivered an entire dialysis unit in a Portakabin to a property in East Street, dropping it into the garden by crane.

This latter story was covered by the “Courier” and you can read the article on the Reminiscence Project website where it is reproduced along with some photographs of the event.

Interview recordings are hosted in partnership with the Folklore Library and Archive, which is based in Crediton Library, and can be listened to online by visiting: www.folklorelibrary.com/crediton-library .

So far, approximately 20 recordings are online, with more being added soon.

The library would now like to hear from more people who would like to meet with a volunteer for a chat about their memories.

This could be individuals or local groups who meet socially such as members of the WI or U3A.

To find out more, please contact the library on 01363 772578 or email: [email protected] .