How it works
We will work with you, a member of your family or a friend, over a number of weeks to record personal memories and experiences in an informal and relaxed way, at a pace that suits you.
We will record these conversations and use them as the basis for the life story book. You will also receive a Life Story Hive story booklet to complete. Recording dates, memories and stories before and in between sessions is a great way to collect information that forms the backbone of your story.
We’ll spend time exploring the photographs that you want in your book, as well as documents and other items that might include newspaper cuttings, certificates and even images of important objects.
These conversations and visual items will then be drawn together to create your unique life story, written from your perspective.
We’ll agree how to make the book as accessible for you as possible – from the size of the font to its layout and design.
There will be an opportunity to review the content of the book and make changes.
The final story will be printed as a full colour hardback book.
Find out about our Life Story packages
Everyone’s life is different
We all have different stories and want to tell them in our own particular ways. We have put together a series of packages to choose from as a guide to what is involved. Please take a look and see if one of these would suit you or the person you have in mind. We’re always happy to have a chat and these packages can be tailored for individuals, depending on the nature of their story, interests and circumstances.
FAQs
What will my book look like?
The costs set out in the packages include three copies of a full colour hardback book. This can be either A5 or A4, portrait or landscape, depending on what works best for your story.
Who will you speak to?
We will informally interview the life story participant and always welcome a member of their family or a friend to accompany them if that would be beneficial. This can be especially important if the individual has dementia or health difficulties that mean they need additional support or care.
We are happy to speak to other family members and record their memories where appropriate, this would be part of the number of hours set out for each package.
How long will the process take?
This very much depends on the availability of the participant when booking in the weekly conversations and when providing feedback on proofs etc. On average the process will take 10-15 weeks. However all life stories and participants are different – so flexibility is sometimes needed.
How do you record the conversations?
We use a simple audio recorder and we make handwritten notes. We work within GDPR regulations and you can read our policy here.
Can the whole family take part?
It is always great to get input from the wider family as part of the process; it creates a better story and can be a very positive activity for a family to engage in together. We can discuss how this works and we can quote accordingly.
Can I keep the recordings?
Some people like to have copies of the recordings that are made during our conversations which make up the backbone of the book. These are available on-request as edited excerpts, and will be provided on a USB. There is an additional cost for this.
Will I be able to read it before it’s printed?
Yes, all packages include at least one proof of the content to ensure everything is correct and you are happy with the story.
My relative or friend has dementia, is this suitable for them?
Life story work and books can be used very effectively to support people with dementia.
Ruth has worked with several clients with dementia and is training as a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) facilitator.
It would be most beneficial to undertake the conversations in the presence of a family member or friend, to help to both orientate and support the participant.
How many copies will I receive?
The packages provide three copies; additional copies can be ordered at an additional cost.
Can I give this as a gift?
Yes, please contact us to request a gift certificate for the package you want to purchase as a gift.
How big are the books?
A My Life Story book is usually about 70 pages long. However, the length of the book depends on the number of conversation sessions and the accessibility needs of the participant, if the text needs to be larger, then the book will be as well.