A PROJECT OPEN TO ANY ELDER LIVING IN THE UK

RUTH’S ARCHIVE gathers first-hand accounts of individuals’ community involvement. One method used is through a special fill-in book. This fill-in book offers some structure to help elders to write their experiences. The returned, completed books describe individuals’ participation in extended family, neighbourhood and community life. This is a way of placing ‘on the record’ the things that YOU feel have been and are important in your life. Completing the fill-in book can be done in any way to suit yourself. There is no ‘correct’ way! The ARCHIVE will become publicly accessible at no charge in 2009. The fill-in books on archive quality paper are £6.00 post free from PO Box 66, Warwick CV34 4XE. Further details on request

Some people take six months or more to fill-in ‘their’ book. Someone completed the task in one day. 

The fill-in books are proving valuable in helping elders affirm their experiences through life. “When I made myself settle down to fill this in,” said one woman in her high 80s “I remembered many things I’d been involved with or done over the years. It makes me feel I’ve achieved more than I thought.”

“ For many years, my activities outside work have been to do with my large family, sixteen grandchildren, who mostly live nearby,” AG, Warwick. 

“Ruth’s Archive should fill a major gap in the official record,” Adrian Henstock, former Principal Archivist, Nottinghamshire Archives. 

Sadly, some elders who have completed their archive books have already died but it is wonderful that they have left behind such vivid and accurate permanent accounts of their lives.