Covid: Writing letters to our 'pre-pandemic self'
- Published
A photography project is helping people to cope with lockdown by writing a letter to their "pre-pandemic self".
Emily Ashford has been encouraging people to write to the March 2020 version of themselves to offer words of encouragement and hope.
Participants are asked to reflect on their experiences of lockdown and pose for a photograph on their doorstep.
"I found it heartwarming, empowering and uplifting, and equally they found it really cathartic," she said.
The Taunton-based photographer said she started off by asking her close family to take part, but decided to open it up to friends, colleagues and anyone else who wanted to get involved.
"I asked them to write a letter to their pre-pandemic selves, initially just my immediate family, and I went and took their portraits at their door.
"I opened it up to friends, friends of friends, and it's just escalated.
"Now doing it a year on, it's about the things they have learned from that year; what they've experienced, how much people and society have changed and how they are then saying that back to themselves and that's why it's quite touching," said Ms Ashford.
She said it was interesting to read about the different perspectives of people depending on their age, background, and how lockdown had affected them in their own ways.
"People were relating to each other a lot.
"I've been able to get my grandparents involved, who are over 80, as well as some of my friends' children who are really young and the difference in perspective when you're reading the letters, you can almost hear it and feel it.
"The biggest thing I've taken from it is that people are amazing, humanity is amazing and when you look for it, it's literally on your doorstep."
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk