Positive Ageing Week 2023: The Castlebar Library Memory Box

Last week, I was delighted to deliver a bespoke commissioned Memory Box to Castlebar Library, Mayo, in time for #PositiveAgeingWeek2023, which runs from the 1st to the 7th of October. This week promotes the agency of older people and celebrates the enormous contribution they make to families, workplaces, communities and society as a whole. A memory box is a specially created box of objects chosen specifically to spark memories of the past, to remember places and events from our lives, and to encourage conversation and discussion amongst the people who handle the objects from them. These boxes are regularly used as resources for engaging older people, and those with memory problems such as dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.

The wide benefits of the boxes to stimulate memory and encourage engagement are hugely significant, and they are a valuable resource for organisations seeking to engage with a range of community groups. The Castlebar Library Memory Box will be available for free loan by community groups across the county and will hopefully provide many years of engagement and conversation for all those who use it, igniting memories and positive emotions through the items stored within it. This project was kindly supported by Creative Ireland and Mayo County Council.

I have been lucky enough to work with a number of Active Age groups on a range of wonderful heritage projects over the last few years. It is always a pleasure and a privilege to collaborate on the creation of activities and resources that preserve and celebrate the memories of the older members of our society.