As part of International Day of People with Disabilities the Mass Observation Archive is inviting people to get involved and keep a day diary on the 3rd December 2016.
The Mass Observation Archive has been recording everyday life in Britain since 1937 and we have collected material relating to a variety of topics and people’s experiences. We continue to do this today through our panel of writers and our May 12th Diary Day when members of the public can contribute their day diary to the archive. This year we have decided to run an additional diary day on the 3rd December as part of our Beyond Boxes project. Funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, this two-year access and engagement project is working in partnership to address barriers, whether they be attitudinal, educational or physical, that people may experience when trying to access archive collections.
We would like to encourage people to record their day on 3rd December and send it into the archive where it will be kept and used by researchers, students and members of the public. All diary entries are anonymised so the diarist’s identity will not be made public, nor will any of their personal details. By working in partnership with different groups and getting the wider public engaged we hope to ensure that our archive includes and celebrates the diversity of people’s lives and experiences in 21st century Britain.
Please do get in touch if you would like to get involved with the Beyond Boxes project. To record your diary for the Mass Observation Archive on 3rd December 2016 please look at our website for further information, templates and advice on completing and submitting your diary.