Interviewed by Hannah McDonald / photographs provided by participants.

Hannah: How long have you lived in your area?
Joseph: All my life.

Hannah: What’s a fond memory you have of living here?
Joseph: Growing up, there were not many cars in the village so we would make all sorts of bikes with no brakes. We would play football in Cullen’s Field and get chased by the farmer. It was called the Circle and lads from all over would come up to play.

Hannah: Have you seen this community come back from hard times before?
Joseph: Yes, the recession. I was born 12 years after war. There were not many jobs until the metal spinners came to town. I delivered the first colour TV in Newtown to Gregory’s Garage.

Hannah: What sorts of things are you doing to stay connected to your community and family and what does community mean to you?
Joseph: I am very close to my daughters and they live very close by too! Jo lives upstairs and Abbey lives a mile away.

Pictured below is the drawing that Hannah did of Joseph looking at the home he’s lived in his entire life as her creative response. There’s also some other images for Joseph from his photo shoot with Madeline.