Staffordshire's historic audio recordings to be preserved digitally

A significant effort is underway in Staffordshire to preserve thousands of historic audio recordings, thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Staffordshire County Council's Archives and Heritage service, in partnership with local authorities across the Midlands and The University of Leicester, secured £282,082 to digitally store at-risk sound recordings.

This 12-month project aims to prevent the permanent loss of around 18,000 historic reel-to-reel and cassette tapes, which contain local radio broadcasts, oral history interviews, community memories, and music recordings.

The equipment required to play these tapes is becoming increasingly rare as the recordings deteriorate over time, posing a threat to these valuable cultural assets.

Hayley Coles, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council, emphasised the importance of safeguarding these recordings:

"These recordings capture the voices, experiences and stories that have helped shape Staffordshire and the wider Midlands. They give us a unique insight into the lives of local people and communities, many of which may not be represented elsewhere in the historical records."

Over the next year, 1,200 recordings will be digitised, and educational events will be organised to help residents discover and celebrate the shared heritage of the Midlands.

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