Cockermouth residents will have an opportunity to contribute to their regional history at a special event aimed at preserving personal experiences and local heritage through storytelling.

The event is part of an initiative called In My Shoes and is due to take place on Saturday, March 2.

Running from 1pm to 4pm at the town's Kirkgate Centre, the event will feature oral history workshops and performances presenting individual stories from the local community.

Organised by the non-profit organisation, Kirkgate Arts and Heritage, the project aims to inspire residents to share their stories, find resonance with others, and, in doing so, better understand their cultural heritage.

The storytellers - which may include anyone ranging from locals who have lived in the area all their life to recent immigrants and refugees - will have an opportunity to record their stories with the help of project volunteers.

Cockermouth's own Sophia Atcha will be amongst the storytellers, sharing tales about her family and her West Cumbrian community.

Kirkgate Arts and Heritage is managing the 18-month project. Funding for the project totalling £105,950 has been provided by multiple sources including the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Francis C. Scott Charitable Trust, Cumberland Council, Papcastle Recreational Fund, Cockermouth Town Council, and the Arts Society.

Kirkgate's general manager, Emma Heys, is thrilled with the progress so far.

She said: "We've been really pleased with how the project has developed over the past few months and look forward to a continuing sense of engagement with our local communities.

"It's about giving people the opportunity to understand what their cultural heritage is.

As for prospective participants, Ms. Heys encourages everyone to come along on Saturday, celebrate the uniqueness of the Cockermouth community, and share their family traditions and personal stories.

The more stories, the greater the diversity and the deeper the understanding of the region's rich heritage.

Further information on the In My Shoes project and the upcoming events can be obtained from the Kirkgate website or directly from Helen Johnston, the community projects officer.