The Story of You & Me
The Story of You & Me was a book-making & personal story-recording project developed over 3 years. The first version of was in person and recruited two groups in the North East – one of over 60’s (see pictures below) and another were regular foodbank users of all ages.
The groups learned how to make a book and fill with whatever was important to them, which they kept or gifted to someone else in their lives. The project included working with professional illustrator Josie Brookes to provide beautiful hand-sketched drawings and graphics for their books.
It was a chance for people to pause the pace of modern life, slow down and make something with their hands, to treasure for a long time.
The project then was then delivered to a series of young mums and their children around different areas of the North East, in partnership with a local charity and council.
Highly personal stories recorded ranged from tales of childhood japes to recounting a series of trapdoors in someone’s life that caused them to keep falling down.
“The workshop was one of my highlights of 2018. I had wanted to make a tribute to my mum, who died this year, and making a book about part of her life that was important to her was a perfect way of doing this. I’m not sure how I would have approached it without the workshop, and perhaps I still wouldn’t have got round to it. Working on the whole process, from writing to binding, felt very empowering and slightly cathartic. It certainly made me feel close to my mum and it would have made her very happy and proud.” (Vanessa, workshop participant, Hexham)
The next version of the project was made for the wider public. Alongside a kit people received in the post, I produced a video series for people to learn the book-making at their own pace, from their own homes.
This included an optional element of getting a bespoke drawing/piece of art from a professional graphic artist who were part of the project team.
This coincided with the start of the Coronavirus and lockdown where people were looking for creative activites to support their mental wellbeing whilst being at home.
