How can I get in touch with other people on the site?

At this stage, you can ask us about other people's memories, but from 5 May - when we go live to the general public - we will have community forums in place where you can chat online to other users, post questions and comment on other people's memory items. At the moment we've provided editorial content for some of these community zones - food, fashion, history, house, military and local - but we welcome your suggestions for more. Sport? Travel? Holidays? Let us know and we'll build them for you.

Can everyone see my photos/history?

Yes - once you've posted your material, it becomes part of the community and everyone can search for it. This is why it's important to TAG your memory with keywords that relate to its content, so that others can find it easily.

Who is the site for?

The site is for everyone who shares our passion about the past, and feels that it is important that we archive, store and share our collective memories for present and future generations. So tell all your friends about us!

What is the site for?

We strongly believe that we should be collecting personal heritage so that it's not lost for ever - and Nations' Memorybank is our answer. Most archives collect material written by politicians, civil servants, or the great and the good. This is our chance to give a voice to both ourselves and our ancestors, and use it to relate our experiences of the events that historians usually overlook.

Is the site free of charge?

The main site is free of charge, and that's the way we're going to keep it. There are some optional paid services, such as our range of research products, and when we go live on 5 May you can purchase an online 'vault' in the Memorybank that offers secure storage for personal items that you do not wish to be uploaded onto the main community site. The level of privacy is up to you - the vaults come with password protection, so you can still ask friends and family to contribute items if you wish.

Do you have an advice service?

At the moment, if you are experiencing problems with your work, you can commission one of our specialist research services run by our experts - see our products list for a range of services.

What do I do if I have a technical problem?

Please let us know! The site is still very much a pilot project until we go live on 5 May with some new features, and consequently we're relying on you to tell us all about your experiences - both good and bad - so we can work to make the site even better.

Can I post a link to this site on my website?

You can - simply link to our home URL, www.nationsmemorybank.com. If you are having problems, drop us an email at admin@nationsmemorybank.com and our technical experts will gladly offer some tips.

Can I use the information from this site on my website?

Yes, you can.

When will this website be publicly available?

We go live on 5 May, when there will be a whole range of new functions that you can use to collate, store and contextualise your memories. We'll be attending an event at Olympia called 'Who Do You Think You Are? Live!', the first-ever national history show. We're proud to be working with BBC London and the London Metropolitan Archives on a stage called 'Where Do You Think You Live?', focusing on house history.

Is there an accompanying book?

Not yet, but once we start to gather memories we will be putting a range of publications together. Let us know what titles you would like to see!

I am not from the UK, can I still post my memories?

You can, and we have plans to create specific home pages for different locations around the world as we start to gather global memories. We have some exciting news about two regions in which we will be launching in 2007, but sadly we can't reveal where they are - yet! Look out for more information on the News section of the site.

Can I contact Nick Barratt?

Please feel free to drop us a line at admin@Nations' Memorybank.com and we will forward your correspondence to Nick. Sadly, he can't answer specific questions, but he would be interested to hear what you're up to.

PRIVATE ARCHIVE

What are the benefits of the members zone?

We offer a PIN-protected space that allows you to choose exactly who you share your memories with. You also get PIN-activated galleries, user discounts, priority invitations to our special events and exclusive access to our experts.

How much does it cost?

Subscription is £60 a year renewable annually.

How does the archiving work?

All memories are archived by our partner Hanzo Archives, using their unique virtual servers to back-up all uploaded items within Nations' Memorybank.

How many memories can I store?

Your annual subscription gives you 1GB of storage - that's sufficient for about 1,000 text or image memory items. Coming soon you will be able to upload video as well as text and images.

How do I access my memories?

Within the Members Zone, you can upload your memories in a secure environment accessible only to Users or Members with access to your unique PIN number as well as to us and our service providers for site-administration and compliance purposes.

How confidential is my storage?

Our security measures ensure an appropriate level of confidentiality for the storage of your User Content

How long does my subscription last?

Subscription to the Members Zone is valid for 12 months and will be automatically renewed . After you have subscribed we will send you a unique PIN number by email so you can gain access to the Members Zone. Please only share your PIN number with those who you wish to gain access to your space in the Members Zone.

What happens to my memories if I'm not around when my subscription expires?

You must also provide us with the contact details of a next of kin or third party in the event that we cannot contact you.

What happens if I don't want to renew my subscription?

If you do not wish to renew your membership at this point, you can retrieve your memories in several ways:

Memories can be placed in a PDF file and emailed to you. There is no charge for this service.

Memories can be removed from the Members Zone and returned to you on a DVD or CD ROM. There is a small administrative charge to cover registered postage and materials.

Memories can be downloaded, printed and compiled in one of our presentation packs or publications. Standard rates advertised on the online shop apply.

Memories can be released into the main community site for all to see. There is no charge for this service.

Subscription to the Members Zone also requires the subscriber to agree to our standard site terms and conditions with regard to offensive or illegal material. Nations' Memorybank and its staff reserve the right to conduct spot checks of content hosted within the Members Zone to ensure our terms and conditions are being adhered to.

For further information about our members Zone please refer to our Terms and Conditions.