Preserving your special moments
GOLDFISH have appalling memories, but two Wear Valley entrepreneurs are hoping to ensure we never forget our finned friends.Julie Ryan and Jane Wilson formed the Memory Company six months ago and their exciting range of scrapbooks, boxes and jars are proving very popular with people wanting to preserve the memories of their loved ones’ special events and achievements, as well as their pets, both past and present.
The duo create scrapbooks filled with photographs and documents and say they can do it for any occasion. Julie, 56, said: “We do birthdays, new baby’s, weddings, holidays, anniversaries, honeymoons and even pets.
“Any memories people want to preserve we can create into a truly unique collection.” The Bishop Auckland pair have been friends for more than 15 years, and both claim they are very excited about their new venture.
Julie said: “We’ve been making quite a few already, but the Wear Valley Food Festival was our first real opportunity to see what people thought about us, and the feedback we got was excellent.
“We sold lots of memory jars and once our website is up and running we’ll be properly on our way. “We’re not in it for the money, if we wanted to be rich I don’t think scrapbooking would be the way to go.
“We do it because it is a lot of fun and we both get so much enjoyment out of it. “When you make a collection you really feel like you get to know the person, especially if it’s a history of their life.
“When people have a special birthday, like an 18th, these books and boxes make excellent presents. “Each one is totally unique and there will never be two that are the same.”
The concept of memory book and boxes is relatively new in this country although it is proving highly popular in America and Australia.
Even Julie admits that she wasn’t that interested in it, although Jane has been doing it for five years. Julie said: “We both started making cards, and Jane got into scrapbooking but I really wasn’t bothered about it.
“But when my daughter went on a three month expedition around the world, I realised what a great idea it is to have a book or box reliving every moment of her tour. “Just like everyone else, I have bags and boxes filled with old photographs, certificates and pictures created by my children, all waiting to be sorted out.
“If people send us their bags, we will create unique memory collections which will always be cherished.” The company was formed over a cup of tea in Julie’s conservatory.
Julie said: “Jane and I were talking and she asked would I be interested in starting a company making scrapbooks of people’s memories. “I thought go on then, we’ve got nothing to lose, and it all started form there. It really was as simple as that.”
The duo also provide memory jars which provide hours of entertainment as people answer questions about their memories. Unlike a new business though, Jane and Julie insist they don’t want to become too successful.
Julie said: “Jane and I are happy making them ourselves, we really do enjoy it. “We wouldn’t want it to become really big as it’s really a part-time thing for us. “It’s more of a past time than a livliehood and we both operate out of our homes in between looking after our children and grand children.
“Ultimately, we get great pleasure out of creating these unique collections for people as we know they will always be much loved and cherished, because after all, the essence of life is memories.”
For more information on the Memory Company visit www.thememorycompany.co.uk
