Let The Story Be Told

Help tell the story of how Hartlepool faced the Coronavirus together

People in Hartlepool are being encouraged to share their individual experiences of what the COVID-19 crisis has meant to them in a major project of reflection, understanding, learning and moving forward.

Called ‘Let The Story Be Told’, the initiative aims to create a permanent record of how the people of Hartlepool – each in their own different ways – faced the Coronavirus together. The project is being led by Hartlepool Borough Council.

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People are invited to make their own contributions to the project including, for example:

  • Sharing one song, one book, one poem or one photograph or picture/drawing which represents how they have felt through lockdown and COVID-19

  • The memories they will keep from their experience

  • What they have learnt and what they now hope for and aspire to

  • Videos capturing their lives at home, at work, volunteering or supporting others during the emergency

  • Examples of new hobbies undertaken and skills gained in lockdown such as model-making and crafts, for example

The contributions will be used in online galleries and blogs as well as physical exhibitions over the coming months to help tell the story of COVID-19 in Hartlepool.

The ultimate aim is to commission a playwright to interpret and translate the contributions into a play which will be performed locally in 2021.

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Councillor Shane Moore, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Coronavirus is a threat like nothing we have faced in modern times and has opened a dramatic new chapter in our world history.

“We have seen the loss of loved ones, empty streets, businesses closed, anxiety, vulnerability and isolation, but we have also seen great love, kindness, courage, community spirit, creativity and even humour.

“As always, the people of Hartlepool came together to face the threat and look after each other.

“Let The Story Be Told aims to record and tell that story and preserve it for future generations, so I hope as many people as possible of all ages will contribute to it.

“It will help us all to reflect and to empathise and, I hope, to build our recovery and move forward together towards a brighter future.”

There are various ways people can contribute to the project:

People should please note that by contributing to the project they are giving unreserved consent for their contributions to be shared publicly by the project in various forms, including on social media.