How You Can Get Involved
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
One of the things I feel most strongly about in this research is that it should genuinely belong to the people it is about.
The Oracle of Place isn't something being done to or for Kington; it's something being built with Kington, from the ground up, one story at a time.
If you've ever wondered whether your memories, experiences, or knowledge of local places might be worth sharing, I want you to know: they are.
This post explains the two ways you can get involved at this stage of the research, and what taking part actually means in practice.
Share a Written Story
The simplest way to contribute is to share a short piece of writing about a place in or around Kington that matters to you.
This might be a street you walk every day, a view you return to, a shop that has shaped your sense of the town, or a landscape that holds a particular memory.
There are no rules about length or style. A single sentence is as welcome as several paragraphs.
You don't need to be a writer; your words, in whatever form they come, are what this research is interested in.
You can submit a story in two ways. If you leave your contact details, I will be in touch before anything is done with your story, and we will have a conversation about how it might be used, and you will have a say in every decision. If you prefer not to be contacted, you can submit anonymously, and your story will be used for research purposes only.
Nothing is published, shared publicly, or archived without your explicit agreement.
Take Part in an Oral History Interview
If you'd like to share your stories in more depth, you're invited to take part in a one-to-one conversation with me, lasting approximately 30–60 minutes.
Interviews can take place in person at a quiet public location in Kington, or online via Microsoft Teams, whichever feels most comfortable for you.
An oral history interview is simply a conversation. There are no right or wrong answers, no script, and no obligation to discuss anything you are not comfortable with. You're in control of what you share and how the interview goes.
If you go ahead with an interview, you'll be asked to give your consent using a formal consent form before we begin. This covers how your recording will be stored, how it may be used, and your rights, including your right to withdraw.
Your Rights as a Participant
Whichever way you choose to get involved, a few things remain constant throughout:
Participation is entirely voluntary. There is no pressure, no expectation, and no social obligation. Deciding not to take part will not affect any relationship you have with me as a researcher or as a neighbour.
You're always in control of how your contribution is used. Public outputs, including the oracle cards, any community exhibition, or oral history archiving, only happen with your separate, explicit consent. Research use is the default; everything else requires a specific conversation and your clear agreement.
You can withdraw your contribution at any time before it is prepared for public use or archiving. If you change your mind, simply get in touch.
Your identity is protected according to your own preferences. You can choose to be anonymous, use a pseudonym, or be attributed by name — the choice is yours, and it can be revisited at any point.
Full details of your rights and how your data is handled are set out in the Participant Information Sheet, which I encourage everyone to read before taking part.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
That's completely fine.
You don't need to commit to anything to start exploring what this project is about.
Browse the research diary, read about the project on the About page, or simply get in touch with a question.
If you are curious but not sure whether you have anything worth sharing, here is a place to start:
What place in Kington holds a particular memory for you, and why?
That question is at the heart of everything this research is trying to understand. If something comes to mind when you read it, I would genuinely love to hear from you.
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