The Memory Bench Initiative builds on the success of our memory capture projects within the dementia community. We're launching a new commemorative bench project aimed at reconnecting friends and family through sharing and recording their cherished memories and stories.

The project’s goal is to preserve these conversations in an online audio format. These recordings will form a pilot podcast documentary series that features the pilot partner and location, the history of benches as part of our street furniture, the stories of the people they commemorate, and the narratives of those who share their memories.

Beyond this, the Memory Bench Initiative aims to create a network of memory benches in key locations. We also hope to build a team of volunteers who will engage in special conversations with the public at our dedicated memory bench. These conversations will be uploaded to our archive website.

This initiative is tied to the Conversation Conservation Project, a digital space where people can log on and record their own conversations as part of the memory bench network. By sharing these special conversations, we aim to create a lasting archive of personal stories and memories to celebrate a life, and legacy.