I’m Lewis Harrower, a Fife-based audio producer (BBC Radio 4’s ‘Pilgrimage for a Pint’ & Time Capsule Productions), and I’m launching a new podcast and audio archive called ‘Life in Fife’. The aim is to record more everyday stories, preserve, and share them.
I want to record the aural histories of local community groups, charities, businesses and people of Fife. This project will help to prevent the loss of local knowledge and aim to highlight groups that people can get involved. These will be kept in an online archive for anyone to access, listen and learn all about Fife’s people.
On top of this there will be an accompanying podcast to spread the word of Fife, past and present. The podcast will contain archive content that has been edited into shorter, easy to listen to episodes. This is a great way to connect different generations of people to local stories.
This project has already gained some interest and support through winning the People’s Choice award at the Create in Kirkcaldy Creative Soup in November last year. I’ve also had a letter from my local MP in support of Life in Fife.
Goals
To preserve stories from the individuals, businesses, charities and community groups of Fife before they are lost forever. To encourage more people to volunteer or interact with these groups and businesses, and learn about their local area. To share stories of Fife with the world.
Method
Recording audio and video interviews with key people from the organisations or individuals. Making their stories available to listen to/watch (or read through transcription) in an online archive that will be available to all.
How it’s Published
First there will be a couple of example episodes. Then the podcast will be published in series of 8-12 episodes with one episode every 2 weeks. In the interim weeks the archive releases will be published and other sources of stories from Fife from The Human Collective, etc. In time it may become a weekly release and continuous rather than in series. Every now and again there will be a video episode while a series is on, created by Mojo.
Uses
It’s a platform to learn more about the past and present of Fife. A tool for education in schools, colleges and universities to access real-life stories from people and organisations across Fife. A platform for entertainment so people can escape from their everyday and immerse themselves in the stories of others. A place where people can find out opportunities to volunteer with local groups or charities, or even find support where they didn’t know it existed. A way to document the changing economic landscape of Fife from mining to creative endeavours. A place where businesses, small or large, can promote what they do, including artists, writers, musicians and performers. A safe space for everyone and inclusive of race, gender, sexuality, economic background, etc. And it’s a community for people to engage with and start their own conversations and find those with similar interests.
Building Support
I’ve been getting in touch with potential contributors and people who may also be able to commit some funding to the project. Posting in Facebook groups and having meetings to speak about the project. Having the Creative Soup as a platform also helps.
Community Engagement
I’ve been reaching out to those who would like to take part. I will build an online space (blog, Facebook group) where they can all share local stories. Having people add their stories through their own recordings, blogs, Fife College students recording stories, The Human Collective stories, etc.
Making Money
Initially, the start-up costs for Life in Fife will hopefully come from Crowdfunder or through working with a charity or community group to gain funding. As it grows Life in Fife will make money through donations (maybe a Patreon), podcast & archive sponsorship, a subscription service, funding, and selling merch further down the line. There is also the potential for ticketed events eg, exhibitions, human libraries, listening parties etc.
Giving Back
Money that isn’t needed to keep Life in Fife going, including paying for my time, will be invested back into the project or into community/charities. I also hope to provide some kind of payment to those who record and submit stories for the archive and podcast releases.
Marketing
The interviews will also be cut into a podcast format to provide entertainment and education and bring these stories to a wider audience. Social media will play a big part in this. K107FM may also release a 10-minute version of podcast episodes while a series is on. With a video podcast episode every now and then through Mojo. I will publish press releases when the Crowdfunder launches and on the launch of Life in Fife.
Exhibitions
Working with museums/galleries to hold exhibitions where items and photographs can be seen alongside the audio of stories of people/businesses/ history ect. This will also help the museums add to their archive records.
How Individuals Can Help
If you have a story you would like recorded and shared please do get in touch at info@lifeinfife.com please follow @LifeinFifeArchive on social media and share the posts. Tell people you know about Life in Fife too and see if they want to get involved. You can also record your own stories and share them with me.
How Community Groups/Charities or Businesses Can Help
If you would like your story told get in touch and let me know. I’m also going to be looking for donations for the crowdfunder and sponsorships for the podcast and archive so do let me know if you would like to support this project in that way. Of if you want to work more closely together in partnership and apply for funding together let me know as well. Also share your story with me on socials so I can share it and send people your way if you have projects you want some help with. Contact info@lifeinfife.com
How Students Can Help
If they want to Media Production students could record the stories of an individual, a business, a charity, community group etc. Finding out a bit about their background, how they came to be where they are now and the story of their journey. This could be in an audio only or video style. The raw file could then be uploaded to the Life in Fife archive and the students can edit the recording into a podcast episode or video podcast episode. This could be done as part of a project for their course or outwith the college and do it in their own time for some additional experience.
Please do get in touch with me at info@lifeinfife.com if you are interested in either funding or taking part or just helping in any way and follow @LifeinFifeArchive on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to keep up to date.