The project was launched with a fascinating evening at The Chantry High School, with project co-ordinator Julia Letts, researcher Sue Broome and representatives from Worcestershire County Record Office. The project, which has been visiting other parts of Worcestershire and Herefordshire as well as Martley, was originated by Eddie Clarke, Head of Adult and Community Services at the CRO. Other key people from the project were on hand, and it had been hoped that people from Martley and the surrounding are would also be there to meet them and find out more about the project.
Julia explained her part in the project (see the link from the Oral History Project main page) and introduced the playwright, John Townsend - forrmerly a teacher at the school, Sue Rickman, Head of Drama, and Steve Jowett, Head Teacher.
Julia explained that as well as farmer's voices, she hoped to be able to record others who had lived and worked in the countryside, perhaps in other occupations, and particularly from women, and how they coped with running a household with none of our modern appliances. There will also be training given to pupils at the school, so they can do some interviewing too.
The audience was entertained to jigs and acapella singing from Foxtail Soup and tea and cakes, reminiscent of earlier times, were available throughout the evening. The school hall had been attractively decorated to suit the occasion, and a group of Year 9 students, all in costume, acted a scene from a play that John Townsend had previously written for them.

If you are interested in talking about life in Martley in "the old days", or know someone you think would like to, please contact researcher Sue Broome 01299 251512. There is no pressure on anyone to be a fluent speaker - Julia will ask lots of questions to get the memory going - and you get a copy of the inerview to keep.