Don’t Lose Your Way archive digitisation volunteer

In early 2020, thousands of people joined the search for lost paths as part of the Don’t Lose Your Way project. The project aims to support individuals in identifying lost rights of way, and later putting together applications for these to be recognised on the official ‘Definitive Maps’.

One of the other goals of the project is to develop a library of digitised documents which can be used to strengthen these applications. Those who work on these applications already typically rely on either local archives or the National Archives for these documents. However, a trip to the National Archives in Kew can take up some time and budget for those who are further away from the site, or otherwise unable to visit.

That’s where this role comes in. We’re recruiting a pool of volunteers who would be willing to make occasional trips to the National Archives where they would request a handful of documents, take clear photographs of these, and upload them onto an online drive.

This role would require time, a camera, and confidence uploading photos to an online drive. Over time, this role will have a significant impact at it will support volunteers across England and Wales in their efforts to save historic rights of way.