Member Article

Secure your place in history today

Everyone in the UK is today being urged to record their day as part of a mass blog called ‘One Day in History’. Headed by the National Trust and English Heritage as part of the History Matters campaign, the aim is to create an ‘electronic snapshot in words’ of life in Britain at the start of the 21st century. The date has been chosen as an ordinary Tuesday of no particular national significance.

The organisers want anyone who participates to record their everyday activities and the common sights and sounds they experience today. People are encouraged to think about how history affected them toady, be it passing a historical landmark, reading a classic novel, or listening to some retro music.

All 29,000 schools in the country have been invited to take part, and the easyCafe network will set the homepages of all of their 2000 computers to www.historymatters.org today to allow their customers quick access to the project. Many celebrities are also recording their day for posterity, including Stephen Fry, Bob Geldof, Bill Bryson, Derek Jacobi, Tony Robinson and Sebastian Faulks. The records will be stored in print and electronically by the British Library.

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “It would be fantastic if hundreds of thousands of people take up this opportunity for mass online participation on 17th October 2006 and make it the biggest blog ever. We want this day to have its own place in history and be a snapshot of everyday life at the beginning of the 21st century.”

If you want to take part, log on to www.historymatters.org.uk and follow the instructions on the website.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .