Chris Shields
So I grew up in Stoke, just at the bottom of the hill. And I went to school at Keyham College Road. I spent all of my formative years here from birth up until 15-16, I think. So I played there frequently, knew the area. It’s where I have, like, all those summer childhood memories.
I’d always wanted to do volunteer work, was wanting to care about the environment. And in order to be congruent with my beliefs, I’ve just took action, and joined up… I worked in an office for a decade. And was not very creative at all. After the pandemic, I was like, maybe I need to change things a little.
I have a history degree. And so I know what it’s like to look back and try to imagine people’s lives, trying to piece together… Even though the world seems like it’s crumbling, people still have hope. And they still go about their normal lives with joy and passion. So I think if I could put something into the archive, whether it be words or images, it would be people building communities and smiling together.