On Friday 31 January, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) held a training event for volunteers participating in their ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, near Warwick.

The ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project is led by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Aston Martin Lagonda, Aston Martin Works, Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Aston Martin Owners Club. The aim is to bring together current and former Aston Martin employees, to tell the behind-the-scenes history of Aston Martin.

Aston Martin Lagonda employees have volunteered their own time to take part in the Project and attend training events. Volunteers learnt about oral history and how to interview people using recording equipment. Julia Letts, an Oral History Society trainer introduced the training by saying “Oral history gives a voice to those people who often don’t get the opportunity to tell their stories”.

The volunteers will start by interviewing each other and then arrange interviews with people who are keen to share their stories of life at Aston Martin. The volunteer group will be supported by the Project team from the BMIHT Archive, where the recordings will be deposited for posterity, enabling future generations to learn about their industrial heritage.

The Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon near Warwick is currently hosting an ‘Aston Martin – A Century of Craftsmanship’ exhibition until December 2014. Admission to this exhibition is included within the standard museum entry fees.

www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk