Volunteers needed for oral history project of community politics in Devon

The History of Parliament Trust is launching an exciting new oral history project based at the Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter. ‘From the Grassroots’ will create a sound archive dedicated to local politics in Devon. The project will help celebrate Devon’s rich political history as told by the participants themselves, by interviewing those deeply involved in the political process within the county itself – councillors, activists, campaigners – and share these memories and stories on a website and through a programme of local events.

The project will begin in the autumn of 2013, after a part-time co-ordinator has been appointed to organise the project (if you are interesting in applying for that role, see www.historyofparliamentonline.org/news/job-vacancy-oral-history-project-coordinator).

In the meantime, the project is in need of your help! ‘From the Grassroots’ will rely on a team of volunteers to help collect and share this heritage. Volunteers are particularly needed to undertake the oral history interviews, but the project also needs people interested in research, writing articles and cataloguing. Training will be offered in these areas. If you want to be involved, and perhaps would like to learn a new skill whilst doing so, then get in touch (see below for contact information)!

And of course the project will also be searching out people to interview who will be able to share their experiences of Devon politics since the Second World War. Although not everyone who gets in touch will be interviewed, the organisers would appreciate all of your suggestions for candidates to interview. "We want to include all kinds of people involved in grassroots political activism – councillors, activists, campaigners, agents, election officials, envelope-stuffers, volunteers, or anyone involved in Devon’s political life. If you have suggestions of people who you think we should approach, or you think you fit the bill yourself and would like to share your story, then please let us know. If you are suggesting a name of someone for us to approach, please also tell us how you know them and what role they have played in Devon’s politics."

For any of these things, or for any more information on the project, please contact:

• Emma Peplow at the History of Parliament: epeplow@histparl.ac.uk; 0207 467 9824; 18 Bloomsbury Square, London WC1A 2NS
Or
• Brian Carpenter at the Devon Heritage Centre: brian.carpenter@devon.gov.uk; 01392 380573; Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7NL

For more on the History of Parliament, please visit our website: www.historyofparliamentonline.org