How your life during lockdown stories can become part of Sunderland's history

Seventeen Nineteen is currently masterminding £4.3m of improvements to Holy Trinity Church, in Sunderland’s East End, to transform it into a cultural venue to open this autumn.

After discovering a time capsule from 1989 while refurbishing the roof, organisers have decided to create a new digital capsule with the public now encouraged to contribute tales of their life during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Holy Trinity centre manager Tracey Mienie said: “Seventeen Nineteen want to create a new time capsule to capture stories about how learning during lockdown has affected us all.

“Parents have become home school heroes, those working from home have become digital innovators and we have all grappled with the science of the virus.

“Whether you’ve taught yourself a new craft, learned something about your family or neighbours or passed on a skill to someone else we want to hear from you.

“The new time capsule will be digital and we need as many people to get involved as possible.

“You could send us a photo, video, sound recording or other digital record.”

Organisers are urging anyone interested in contributing to consider if they could record messages for someone unfamiliar with technology.

Tracey added: “So, if you know a resident at Sunderland who has something to share and you feel comfortable supporting them recording something for our time capsule please ensure you are following social distancing guidelines.”

The ongoing National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported Seventeen Nineteen project will repair the church’s fabric, including its brickwork, masonry and joinery, to allow it to host a variety of events such as concerts from the end of the year.

No longer used for regular worship, the Georgian building, which was consecrated as a church in 1719 and is cared for by the Churches’ Conservation Trust, has also served as a court, council chamber and library.

Emailing your submissions to [email protected] before Saturday, July 4.

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