Memory Bank

Memory Bank is an award-winning series of innovative DVD resource packs using archive films to bring past events and experiences to life, prompting stories and memories to share and enjoy: great for reminiscence, memory and life story work, and easy to use in a range of settings, from social groups, care homes, dementia cafés, to one-to-one reminiscence, or simply to enjoy together at home.

Memory Bank was developed by the Yorkshire Film Archive, working in conjunction with healthcare professionals, older people, carers and families, to provide a complete resource pack for use in reminiscence and life story work. 

Its creation, development and final production are the result of over two years of action research, critical review against Care Quality Control standards, and professional evaluation. YFA worked with a wide range of organisations, healthcare professionals, older people and carers; Memory Bank is the result of their input, expertise, experience and critical review.

Archive film footage of familiar scenes and themes has been carefully selected to help rediscover past times with friends, family, and those you care for.  What better to prompt and share memories together – whether it’s schooldays, holidays, working life, or fun at the fairground, we all have stories to tell!

Each themed DVD pack comprises six archive films from our collections, together with a comprehensive handbook containing a wealth of helpful information:

User Guide – information on using Memory Bank in different settings, how to prepare your session, hints and tips on prompting discussion, plus case studies.

Film Notes – each film has its own set of notes and prompts, including a brief description of the film to help you set the scene.  As you watch each film, you’ll sometimes notice a key symbol appearing on the screen. This marks an image likely to prompt memories, and we’ve suggested some things that you might like to talk about, or activities to try.

Life & Times – to further prompt discussion, we’ve included information about life in the UK from the 1920s to the 1970s.  Knowing a bit of background to a particular era can really help when prompting a discussion. 

We’ve also included photos that can be passed around, ideas for creating a memory box based around the theme, activities to try, and suggestions for songs to sing along to.

The Memory Bank series contains six titles:

  • Holidays
  • Fetes, Fairs and Fireworks
  • Domestic Life
  • Schooldays
  • Working Life 
  • Sporting Fun

A single pack costs £29.99 plus £3.50 postage and packing, or you can buy the complete set of six for £160 plus £9 courier delivery.

To find out more, or to place an order, please contact us on 01904 876550 or info@yfanefa.com.