Six care organisations across the UK have joined the pilot phase of Memory Makers, a new social-purpose storytelling framework designed to help care teams capture residents’ stories, voices and lived experience in a way that fits everyday care environments.
The pilot partners span the UK and include; Brookside Care Home in Preston, The Laurels in Salford, Nightingale Hospice in Wrexham, Belong in Crewe, The Ridings in Birmingham and Sage House in Tangmere.
Together, they form part of the first cohort of ‘Foundation Partners’, supporting the early development of Memory Makers as it begins its national rollout within the care sector.
The six-week pilot will involve structured use of the Memory Makers framework within each setting, followed by a face-to-face review process to assess its impact in practice. This will include evaluating staff confidence, emotional impact for residents and families, practical integration into day-to-day care and identifying any friction points.
The review will also explore how Memory Makers supports person-centred care, alongside validating overall concept value and pricing considerations ahead of wider adoption.
Memory Makers combines a simple, dementia-friendly app with a guided storytelling framework, enabling care teams to capture meaningful conversations through video, audio and photos using gentle prompts. The approach is designed to feel achievable for busy teams, supporting connection, understanding and continuity of care.
Memory Makers founder, Gareth Williams, said: “This stage is about listening and learning properly. These organisations are helping us understand exactly how Memory Makers works in real life application, in real care environments – what works, what needs refining and how it can genuinely support residents, families and staff without adding pressure.
“The focus is not just on capturing memories, but on how those moments improve day-to-day connection, confidence and care. That’s what we’re really testing through this pilot.”
Commenting on the pilot to date, Louise Newton, Care Home Manager at Brookside Care Home, said: “Memory Makers has given us a powerful way to capture and preserve the voices, stories and personal histories of the people in our care. During the pilot, we involved both residents and family members and what stood out immediately was how much everyone learned – not only as a staff team, but within families too, with relatives discovering things they had never known about their loved one’s past.
“What makes this so special is that it goes far beyond a written record or family tree. It captures the memories, expressions and unique sayings that make a person who they are, preserving them for future generations. One family member told us they wished they had been able to have something like this for their own grandmother.
“The idea that, years from now, family members could still hear a loved one’s voice, see their smile and connect with their life story in such a personal way is incredibly powerful. It’s a wonderful concept and we’ve been really moved by its potential.”
Memory Makers was developed alongside care professionals with a focus on making life story work more accessible and sustainable. The organisation’s long-term ambition is to help preserve one million memories across care and community settings.
Following the pilot phase, Memory Makers will use the findings to refine the framework before expanding to further care providers across the UK.
Memory Makers founder Gareth Williams (left) and Memory Ambassador David Foulkes (right)