University of Manchester to mark the NHS’s 70th Birthday with films and exhibition

The University of Manchester will create the first shared social history of the National Health Service, marking the institution’s 70^th anniversary, thanks to £785k National Lottery funding. The Centre for the History of Science, Technology & Medicine (CHSTM), part of the University’s Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, has received initial support* from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the ‘From Cradle to Grave: The NHS at 70’ project, it was announced today.

The £785,000 grant will allow the multi-partner project to train volunteers from a range of ages and backgrounds to gather stories from the NHS’s patients and workers as well as politicians and the general public, recording its unique place in everyday, post-war British life.

Many of the health service’s first patients and workers, when it was established in 1948, are now in their 80s and 90s, and the 70^th anniversary of the NHS presents one of the last opportunities to record their stories.

160 people, young and old, from all walks of life, will be trained to gather stories and artefacts from the NHS’ 70-year history. 70 young people aged 14-25 will act as Community Reporters, filming stories in their local area. These testimonies, from everyday users and workers in the health service, to key policymakers, MPs and trade union officials, will contribute to a multimedia, publicly accessible record of the NHS, filling existing gaps in its history, and recording the personal stories that make the service so unique.

A major component of the project will be the creation of an innovative new website which will allow the public to submit their stories of the NHS by uploading recordings, photos and documents. The website will act as a hub for existing and previous histories of the NHS.

The project will also create a touring exhibition, a programme of events and 40 minute feature film.

First round funding of £199,100 has been awarded to help CHSTM progress its plans to unlock the full grant at a later date. This initial development work will focus on the North West of England and South Wales, working with Age UK, the Mental Health Foundation, Rethink Mental Illness, the Stroke Association, NHS England and the NHS Confederation.

Commenting on the award, Project Director, Stephanie Snow said: “We are thrilled to have received National Lottery funding. The project has huge potential to transform engagement with the NHS’s history across the UK and beyond through digital tools, and through the contributions of volunteers and communities. The project partnership allows us, for the first time, to work together to create a shared story about the NHS. We urgently need to capture the memories of the first generations who worked and were cared for by this unique institution as they are now in their 80s and 90s. The forthcoming NHS 70th anniversary in 2018 is a perfect opportunity to celebrate its past and reflect on its present and future.”

Ros Kerslake, HLF Chief Executive, said: “This fantastic project will capture the rich heritage of the NHS, as it reaches its 70th birthday. We were particularly impressed by the number and range of people who will be involved in the project, receiving training to capture and present the story of this much loved national treasure for future generations.”

Chris Larkin, Regional Director at the Stroke Association, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with the University of Manchester on such an exciting and important piece of work. We’ll be supporting stroke survivors from our local services to become volunteer reporters and share their experiences of the NHS. It’s wonderful that stroke survivors will have such a vital role in helping to document and celebrate the history of the NHS.”