News
The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust is delighted to announce that it has been awarded support from Lloyd’s Register Foundation to launch Voices from the Edge – an ambitious new oral history project capturing the experiences of people whose lives and work have been shaped by the sea.
The Falkland Islands have an extraordinary maritime history, but some of the most valuable knowledge about their waters exists not in archives, but in the memories of the people who have lived and worked on them.
Voices from the Edge will record those memories through interviews with naval personnel, merchant seafarers, fishermen, coastal mariners, salvors, explorers and members of the maritime community. Together, these first-hand accounts will create a lasting record of maritime experience in and around the Falkland Islands, preserving stories that might otherwise be lost.
The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust is delighted to announce that it has been awarded support from Lloyd’s Register Foundation to launch Voices from the Edge – an ambitious new oral history project capturing the experiences of people whose lives and work have been shaped by the sea.
The Falkland Islands have an extraordinary maritime history, but some of the most valuable knowledge about their waters exists not in archives, but in the memories of the people who have lived and worked on them.
Voices from the Edge will record those memories through interviews with naval personnel, merchant seafarers, fishermen, coastal mariners, salvors, explorers and members of the maritime community. Together, these first-hand accounts will create a lasting record of maritime experience in and around the Falkland Islands, preserving stories that might otherwise be lost.
Learning from experience
At the heart of Voices from the Edge is a simple idea: we can learn from what has gone before.
Every voyage, every challenge and every decision at sea has the potential to teach us something. By recording the experiences of those who have faced the realities of maritime life – from routine operations to moments of danger and uncertainty – the project will explore the lessons that can contribute to safer maritime activity in the future.
The project will also celebrate the resilience, knowledge, skill and professionalism of the people who have spent their lives at sea.
For the Falklands, this has particular significance. The Islands’ maritime story encompasses naval and military history, commercial shipping, fishing, exploration, salvage and the everyday experiences of island communities whose lives remain closely connected to the sea.
From the Falklands to the world
The interviews will form the basis of a permanent oral history archive in the Falkland Islands, creating an important resource for future researchers, educators and communities.
But the stories will not remain in the archive.
Voices from the Edge will also produce podcasts, short films and digital content, bringing these first-hand accounts to audiences in the Falklands, the UK and around the world. By making maritime experience accessible to new audiences, the project aims not only to preserve the past but to demonstrate its continuing relevance.
In particular, the Trust hopes that these stories will inspire the next generation of seafarers, researchers and maritime professionals – showing the importance of practical knowledge, curiosity, resilience and responsible stewardship of the sea.
The most valuable maritime lessons are often carried by the people who experienced them. Voices from the Edge will make sure those voices are not lost.
A new chapter for FMHT
The project represents an important development in the work of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust.
Our mission is to explore, protect and share the maritime heritage of the Falkland Islands and surrounding seas. While much of our work to date has focused on discovering and documenting shipwrecks, Voices from the Edge expands that work to include another vital part of maritime heritage: the people and their experiences.
The Trust is also exploring opportunities for additional support, which would allow the project to expand its programme of interviews and create an even richer resource for future generations.
We are incredibly grateful to Lloyd’s Register Foundation for recognising the value of this work. Their support will help ensure that the experiences of those who know these waters best are not only preserved, but continue to inform, educate and inspire for many years to come.
Do you have a story to tell?
Were you part of a life at sea? Have you worked in the Falklands’ maritime community, served in the Royal Navy, fished these waters, worked on a merchant ship, taken part in an expedition or salvage operation, or simply experienced something at sea that deserves to be remembered?
We want to hear from you.
Voices from the Edge is about capturing the experiences, knowledge and stories of the people who know the sea best. Whether your story is one of adventure, challenge, discovery, danger, skill or simply everyday life at sea, it could help preserve an important part of the Falklands’ maritime heritage – and perhaps provide a lesson for those who follow.
If you would like to share your story, contribute to the project or find out more about getting involved, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact Elena Lewendon, COO, Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust:
About Lloyd’s Register Foundation
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges. For more information, please visit www.lrfoundation.org.uk
Through its support for Voices from the Edge, the Foundation is helping to preserve valuable maritime knowledge and experience, while contributing to a greater understanding of the lessons that can help make activity at sea safer in the future.