Always Included:
- • Memory Makers software access
- • Branded, forever-hosted Memory Bank
- • Full consent & safeguarding toolkit
- • Setup support
- • Marketing Toolkit (graphics, posters, badge)
- • Mini Impact Report template
Age UK Wigan - Every Natter Matters
Project Overview
Every Natter Matters was a six-week community storytelling pilot delivered in partnership with Age UK Wigan Borough.
The project was designed to help older people across Wigan Borough share memories, reflections and everyday stories through gentle, guided conversations. Delivered through the Memory Makers initiative and supported by the StoryHub app, the pilot created opportunities for people to feel heard, valued and connected while preserving voices, memories and lived experience.
The project began in May 2026 and was announced publicly in June 2026.
Who it was for
The project was created for older people across Wigan Borough, particularly those already taking part in Age UK Wigan Borough’s community activities, friendship groups, lunch clubs and dementia-friendly settings.
Sessions were delivered through four local groups:
Ping Pong Parkinson’s
Music in Mind
Soup and a Sandwich, Shevington
Monthly Atherton Lunch Club
By working through trusted Age UK Wigan Borough groups, the project took place in familiar, welcoming spaces where conversation could happen naturally.
Why it mattered
Every older person carries a lifetime of stories, memories and experiences. Some are funny, some are moving, some are deeply personal, and many help explain the history of families, places and communities.
Too often, these stories remain untold or are never recorded.
Every Natter Matters was created to show that storytelling is not simply about looking back. It can help people feel recognised in the present. Through light-touch, natural conversation, the project aimed to support confidence, reduce loneliness, strengthen connection and preserve local lived experience.
The project also reflected the shared values of Age UK Wigan Borough and The Community Story Hub CIC: helping older people feel included, valued and heard as they age.
What we did
The Community Story Hub CIC led a series of supported storytelling sessions across the six-week pilot.
Rather than using formal interviews, the project was based around relaxed conversations, simple prompts and gentle story pathways. Participants were invited to share memories of family, work, local places, childhood, friendships, hobbies, community life and the things that matter to them now.
The StoryHub app was used to support the process, providing prompts and structure while keeping the human conversation at the centre of each session.
The project included:
Guided storytelling conversations
Light-touch prompts and themed questions
Audio-led story capture
Consent-led recording
Support from Age UK Wigan Borough volunteers
Early Story Guide development and observation
Exploration of how the model could be used in future community work
What we created
As part of the pilot, Community Story Hub began capturing a collection of consented audio moments, memories and reflections from older people across Wigan Borough.
The project was designed to create practical story-based assets for Age UK Wigan Borough, including:
Short Audio Postcards
Recorded memory moments
Social media-ready story clips
Written quotes and reflections
A project montage or summary film
Impact evidence for future reporting, funding and partnership conversations
These outputs help Age UK Wigan Borough celebrate participant voices, share the warmth of its community groups and show the value of conversation-led support.
The impact
Over the course of the pilot, more than 100 older people from across Wigan Borough had the opportunity to take part in guided conversations.
The project helped create space for people to share memories, reflect on their lives and feel that their experiences mattered. It also demonstrated how storytelling can support healthier ageing by promoting belonging, reducing isolation and strengthening community connection.
David Germain, CEO & Charity Lead at Age UK Wigan Borough, described the value of the project in his own words:
“This isn’t simply about recording memories. It’s about recognising identity, strengthening social connection, improving wellbeing and ensuring people feel heard and valued.” He also reflected that every conversation represents: “a lifetime of experience, resilience, humour, challenge and achievement.”
For Community Story Hub, the pilot showed how simple, structured storytelling can work inside existing community groups without feeling formal, intrusive or over-produced.
It proved that when people are given the time, space and encouragement to talk, the conversation itself can become a meaningful act of connection.
What happened next
The Every Natter Matters pilot created a foundation for future storytelling work with Age UK Wigan Borough and other community partners.
It explored how storytelling could be used across friendship groups, lunch clubs, dementia-friendly settings and wider community activities. It also helped test how Age UK Wigan Borough volunteers could observe and support sessions as part of an early Story Guide development model.
The learning from the pilot can now support:
Future Every Natter Matters sessions
Story Guide training for staff and volunteers
Further Memory Makers projects with older people
Family and legacy story capture
Community storytelling activity in other areas
Funding applications and impact reporting
Wider work around loneliness, belonging and healthier ageing
The project showed that preserving memories is only part of the story.
Every conversation matters.
Every memory matters.
Every person matters.
⚙️ How It Works
One platform. Three powerful paths to legacy.
Whether you're a family member, a community volunteer, or a town council – there’s a way to preserve stories that matter.
Care & Community Memory Banks
“Together, we remember.”
Personal Legacies
“Capture the moments that matter.”
Memory Trails
“The voices of yesterday. The gift for tomorrow.”
Care & Community Memory Banks
📍 “Together, we remember.”
Create a shared space where voices, photos, and stories from your community can live on — beautifully preserved and easy to share.
We partner with care homes, dementia groups, veteran charities, and health & wellbeing projects to celebrate lives and capture stories that might otherwise be lost.
Staff or volunteers can record conversations with residents or members. Each story is saved to a branded online Memory Bank and can be turned into a printed Flipbook for families and loved ones.
This isn’t just about stories — it’s about connection, dignity, and legacy.
Benefits:
✔️ Celebrate and honour residents’ lives
✔️ Strengthen bonds between staff, families & communities
✔️ Provide meaningful activities for wellbeing programmes
✔️ Demonstrate your organisation’s impact through stories
🎖 “This helps us celebrate our residents and show our impact.”
– Care Partner
Personal Legacy for Families & Friends
🎁 “Capture the moments that matter.”
Because the sound of a loved one’s voice, their stories, and their laughter are treasures no photo can replace.
Families can use our software to record voice or video conversations and upload photos. Each story is saved securely in a private Memory Bank — a lasting gift for current and future generations.
Perfect For:
👵 Grandparents’ memories
🌸 End-of-life reflections
🎂 Milestone birthdays or anniversaries
💌 Meaningful personal gifts
What You Get (Core Package):
✔️ Easy-to-use recording software
✔️ Private, secure Memory Bank webpage
✔️ Lifetime access for your family
✔️ Full safeguarding and consent process
Optional Upgrades:
🖨️ Flipbook Keepsake – from £TBC
🎞️ Highlight Video Reel – from £ TBC
💌 Legacy Letters Kit – from £ TBC
📀 USB Archive Box – from £ TBC
🧳 Family Pack Add-On – from £ TBC
💬 “We now have Grandma’s voice, her stories, and her laughter — saved forever.”
– Family Member
Memory Trails for Towns & Places
“The voices of yesterday. The gift for tomorrow.”
Turn your town, park, or heritage site into a living museum — where every location has a story to tell.
We help councils, schools, and community groups create interactive Memory Trails — story points placed around towns, parks, and heritage sites.
Visitors scan a QR code to instantly listen to real voices from the past — residents, workers, and families who shaped your local history, or alternatively can record their own memories for future visitors.
Perfect For:
🌳 Forests, parks & footpaths
🏛 Local heritage projects
🎉 Civic events & festivals
🏫 Schools and educational trails
Benefits:
✔️ Brings local history to life
✔️ Encourages walking, exploring, and learning
✔️ Supports civic pride and tourism
✔️ Simple QR tech – no app needed for visitors
“One scan. One voice. A world of meaning.”
– Community Project Lead
🧡 Everyone has a story. Let’s keep them alive.
💰 Packages
🧰 Everything you need to preserve a story — beautifully and safely.
Package
Family Starter
- Credits: 4
- Best For: Individuals or small families
- Cost: £TBC
Package
Small Group
- Credits: 8
- Best For: Support groups, carers, or friends
- Cost: £TBC
Package
Medium Group
- Credits: 16
- Best For: Community groups or organisations
- Cost: £TBC
Package
Large Group
- Credits: 24+
- Best For: Councils, care homes, or trails
- Cost: £TBC
One credit = one person’s recorded story + photos + digital hosting.
Selected: —
— credits
—
—
🧠 About Memory Makers
Memory Makers is a purpose-led storytelling business based in the UK.
We help people of all ages preserve the voices and stories that matter — from care homes to classrooms, from councils to families.
Our roots are in poetry, creativity, and community. And everything we do is guided by one belief:
If a story is worth living, it’s worth remembering.
Ready to start a conversation that lasts a lifetime?
Whether you're a family, care provider, or community leader, we'd love to help.
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram