What are Gems?
Introducing ‘Gems’ – a Cheshire’s archives: a story shared project
Coming in 2026, Gems is a new digital experience from Cheshire Archives and Local Studies. Visitors will be able to make an online search with a Cheshire postcode to find the closest items from our archive that tell a vivid and memorable story of that exact area - the local Gems. These items, including documents, images, and audio and film clips, will be a way in for visitors to discover more, allowing them to easily immerse themselves in local histories.
An example page from the test version of Gems
Members of the public tested out the Gems model and were very positive about how it works. Now we are seeking your help as we find and prepare over 2,000 items to complete the Gems experience.
We aim to bring together 100 items, ranging from documents and maps to photos and videos, for over 20 local areas. We want these to reflect what is interesting and unique about your area, and so are asking you to help identify the stories of people, places, and events that you think are most important to share with others. We are doing this in three stages:
First, we will support local history groups and people with knowledge of local histories to select an initial batch of items from our collections for their area.
Then, together, we will use these sources to see what local communities find appealing and interesting. We’ll aim to find out if people in the area think that there’s anything else that should be added, using in person events and/or online discussions.
There will then be further opportunities to support the project with a range of volunteering opportunities that include geolocating, creating new descriptions and selecting short audio-visual clips.
We will offer training to help volunteers make the most of new skills, and the images and descriptions will be freely available with Creative Commons licences for communities to create displays, learning resources, events and trails to share their stories.
Gems from the following places will allow us to cover 80% of Cheshire’s population by postcode:
Alderley Edge, Alsager, Audlem, Bollington, Congleton, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Helsby, Holmes Chapel, Hoole, Knutsford, Lache, Macclesfield, Malpas, Middlewich, Nantwich, Neston, Northwich, Poynton, Sandbach, Wilmslow, Winsford
