When I Were a Lad...

'…the men that worked in the clay holes…some used to come home with bags wrapped round their legs to keep them warm and dry because they had to work in these great open clay holes when it was chucking it down with rain or snowing… JOHN BAKER, MIDWAY

…I was the one who shifted the bales and each hay bale was shifted six times. I canched it – that may be a local word, canching – we used to stack the bales in a certain way in the fields – they were ‘canched’…two one way, two the other way. TIM ADKIN, CHARNWOOD

…a big winding engine at the top and wagons let down on a rope to feed the boilers of the big pumping engine in Swannington…There used to be this huge pumping engine with a thirty-two foot diameter fly wheel and steam coming out…The noise of a steam engine…and the pits. They were always things that fascinated me. DENNIS BAKER, SWANNINGTON'

There is no denying that this area has changed, but just how has it changed? Was it really that different growing up in the Burton of yesteryear? Did children really swim and play in the watery clay pits in Coalville? Did washing on the lines in Swadlincote really turn black from the soot?

At the click of a button, find out what life was really like in The National Forest, by visiting the LANDshapes Website and Archive at www.landshapes.org and listen to the stories of the people who live here…or better still, tell us your story… The LANDshapes Archive is about you, your experiences, your knowledge, your memories. Over the coming months the LANDshapes team will be inviting you to take a trip down memory lane to remember the good old days. Join us at local venues across the Forest, bring your old photos, objects and memorabilia and tell us the stories behind them. Equipped with portable scanners to digitise your old photos and volunteers to write down your memories, we can help you to preserve your knowledge and stories to amaze today’s young people and enthral future generations.

Just imagine how great it would have been if your grandparents had had this opportunity! Twelve local people recently attended the first TIMEframe National Forest Photography Workshop. Visits to the site of the old Albion Works, Woodville, soon to be lost forever, and the historic Wychnor Park, proved the Forest is home to many contrasting landscapes, where heritage features can be found in all shapes and sizes.

Hands-on tuition from Christopher Beech ensured that all were inspired to enter our TIMEframe Photography Competition, for a chance to win £300 worth of photography equipment. TIMEframe runs until 31st October 2005 and there will be several future workshops to enjoy, all for free – call us on 01283 551211 for the dates and more info! Do you want to carry out a heritage project in The National Forest? Don’t miss the (old) boat for LANDshapes funding. Whether you are thinking of a heritage trail leaflet, mapping projects, research into a particular place, art works, short films, local community events or historical information boards for your parish, there is help at hand from LANDshapes.

Please contact us to discuss your ideas and request a Heritage Grant Application Form and Guidelines. To find out about archive taster sessions, funding, forthcoming events and how to be a part of LANDshapes, or to put us in touch with people in your area, please contact Lucy Ashworth, LANDshapes Community Officer on 01283 551211, email or write to: LANDshapes, The National Forest Company, Bath Yard, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6BD