Museums call on Portsmouth residents to help document life during the pandemic with 'items of interest'

From rainbow drawings, diary entries, poetry, photos and videos the Portsmouth organisations are keen to preserve the memories of lockdown for generations to come.

Councillor Steve Pitt, Portsmouth City Council's culture boss, said: 'It's important that we record our collective experiences of how we managed through the coronavirus crisis.

'Our museums and archives services has a vital role in showing future generations how we dealt with it, what we gained and how we use it in the future to honour those who died.'

A council spokesman added: 'There have been many touching moments; messages of hope and unexpected positive stories that have emerged from workers, families and communities in response to the epidemic and its impact on our lives.

'From the weekly applause for NHS workers, children's rainbow drawings in windows, comical memes and videos we've all been touched by the crisis in some way and shared pictures, stories and messages.

'We'd like your suggestions of what we can collect to encapsulate the city’s response - diaries, photos, videos, pictures, leaflets and any other items.

'Maybe you've kept a diary or lockdown log, composed a song or poem, devised some family entertainment, recorded videos or found a new skill - photography, drawing or sewing face masks - we want your accounts.'

Photos, pictures, copies of documents, video and audio files can be sent by email to: [email protected]

Museum and archive staff are working from home so are unable to collect items yet - but residents are urged to get touch if they have something to donate and staff will arrange to collect it when it's safe to do so.

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