TWO friends from near Tenbury have launched a project to create a historic record of the lives of people living in the area during the unprecedented coronavirus crisis.

But it will also give people living all over the country and around the world an opportunity to tell their stories of this special and terrifying situation facing the world.

Ali Webb and Kare Khoo from Stockton-on-Teme, have launched Project Redial, a voicemail initiative to record real stories of individuals who have been affected directly or indirectly by the coronavirus outbreak.

The not for profit community project wants people to share their experiences at a time when the pandemic has killed thousands of people in the UK alone and every household is affected.

“This project, which serves to remind us that we are all humans facing this health crisis together, has received an overwhelmingly positive response within the first few days of launch from individuals living in towns and cities around the UK, capturing all their experiences from trivial to heart-breaking, daunting to uplifting,” said Ms Kare Khoo, the director of the project who lives in Stockton-on-Teme.

“Saturated news coverage in traditional and social media makes it difficult to see past the numbers, especially the personal and emotional stories of how everyone has had to make significant changes to their daily lives as a result of this ongoing contagion.

“We think what’s missing are the individual accounts of real people, however much they have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Co-director Ali Webb said that the project will provide a historic resource for future generations,

“This voicemail project will also serve as a time capsule incorporating a community-wide recording of people’s challenges, solidarity and human will to survive when confronted with a global crisis of this magnitude,” he said.

“Future and younger generations will have a historical recording of people’s stories recounting their emotions, resilience and unity in fighting off this contagious virus.

“More importantly, their stories will also show that despite our cultural, linguistic, political and geographical differences, we share a common bond as human beings.”

Members of the public can anonymously call 0333 050 9502 (national rate call) anytime and will be guided by a voice greeting and easy instructions to leave their voice message. To hear some of the stories recorded so far, visit www.projectredial.com.