PODCASTS and portraits have given a glimpse into the lives of older people who’ve made Romford their home.

Inspired by significant historical features of the market town, residents living at The Willows have been exploring  recent local history and their personal heritage, documenting their own journeys.

Thanks to funding boost of £10,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the group spent a year working with artists and supported by Equal Arts in their dementia-friendly project ‘On The Map’.

Our programme manager Hannah Wood, who has been supporting the group aged 70 – 100 during the creative workshops and visits, said: "From their research, little remains in Romford that is older than the 19th century. Keeping the history of the area alive felt particularly significant as it can be people’s history that can easily disappear.

“The group wanted to put Willows “On the Map” as a celebrated, diverse community that residents are proud to call their home. It’s been fascinating, hearing residents interview one another, sharing their stories and seeing their skills develop as they’ve created podcasts and captured their personal heritage in creative ways.”

Many involved in the project moved to Romford from East London when they married, while others moved into the town from Manchester, Ireland and Canada.

Project participant Peggy James, 91, said: “We’ve loved making the podcasts, it’s been something new for us to learn, being interviewers. I’d love to do more. I wouldn’t have gotten through my husband dying without these activities and the project. They’ve kept me going… I’ve done things I never did as a child and never thought I’d do.”

Together with photographers, story-tellers, visual artists and family and friends, the group developed their own journeys to Romford through portraits, large-scale art pieces and digital archives.

To hear the group's podcasts, click on the portraits below.