What sounds are distinctively ‘Essex’ for you?

The Essex Sound and Video Archive wants your suggestions for the Heritage Lottery Funded You Are Hear: sound and a sense of place project.

Whether it be the hustle and bustle of Chelmsford market, screams and laughter at Sky Ropes in Great Notley, the relaxing sound of waves lapping at Frinton-on-Sea beach or something else entirely – all ideas are welcome.

The project team will be running public survey events across the county in the forthcoming months to find out what sounds remind you of home.

Which sounds are important to you, or which sounds represent twenty-first century Essex?

The first survey event will be held at George Yard Shopping Centre, Braintree, from 1-3 October. You can drop in at any time between 9am and 5pm to give your feedback.

Inspired by this feedback, a Sound Recordist will then record places and events to capture the sounds of Essex in 2015 for permanent preservation in the Essex Record Office.

These new recordings will also be uploaded to an online map of Essex Sounds.

The survey events will give an opportunity to try a prototype of this map and to learn more about the project.

Cllr Roger Hirst, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Libraries, Planning and the Environment, said: “Once recorded, these sounds will be posted online for all to enjoy. Together with historic recordings already in the Archive, people will be able to compare what Essex used to sound like with what it sounds like today.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: “From local accents to a nationally significant collection of folk music, the Essex Record Office holds the key to over a century of our county’s sounds.

"Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to support this project which will enable even more people to benefit from this immersive connection to Essex’s heritage and ensure these sounds can be heard by generations to come.”

Further survey events will be held at Grays Shopping Centre (29-31 October) and High Chelmer Shopping Centre, Chelmsford (19-21 November). Alternatively, suggestions of what to record can be sent to the Project Officer at sarahjoy.maddeaux@essex.gov.uk