Memories and Milestones: Using Life Story Books to Tackle Loneliness and Build Wellbeing

In this guest blog for Loneliness Awareness Week, Life Story Writer Rachel Lewis shares how her “Memories and Milestones” project uses creative storytelling to build connection, confidence, and community, helping people feel less alone and more understood.

Loneliness can touch anyone, at any stage of life. It affects our confidence, health, and sense of belonging. As a Life Story Writer, I’ve seen how powerful it can be when people take time to reflect, reconnect, and share their stories. Every life is full of moments worth remembering, and Life Story Books offer a creative, meaningful way to bring those memories together, helping people feel more connected to themselves and others.

Through the Memories and Milestones project, participants are encouraged to look back on their experiences and create a personal Life Story Book. This process not only helps reduce feelings of loneliness, but also builds community wellbeing, reminding us that everyone’s story matters.

Who Benefits from Life Story Books?

Life Story Books are as diverse as the people who create them. I’ve worked with clients experiencing grief, where we created Life Celebration Books to honour loved ones, especially during times when memorials weren’t possible, such as the COVID-19 lockdowns. These books became a bridge for connection, helping people pay tribute and find comfort through shared memories.

Others I’ve worked with were navigating illness or a terminal diagnosis, and creating their book gave them a voice, a way to share their journey with family and friends on their own terms. Recognising and respecting someone’s story can be a deeply healing experience.

Research from the University of York shows that Life Story work can support more effective person-centred care, particularly for people living with dementia. But in truth, storytelling is universal. It helps anyone reconnect with what matters most and celebrate the chapters that shape who they are.

About the Memories and Milestones Project

Memories and Milestones is a group project that brings people together through creative reflection. Participants meet in small groups to share their stories, laugh, reminisce, and create their own Life Story Books. The sessions are social, supportive, and designed to help people feel heard and valued.

As one participant said, “We started the project as strangers and we left as friends.”

Past groups have included people managing the challenges of ageing, menopause, grief, illness, or caring responsibilities. No matter their background, everyone finds something powerful in being able to share their story, and in discovering how much they have in common with others.

Some of my favourite stories from recent groups include:

“I shall show it to my daughter and my granddaughters, and I hope they’ll treasure it as much as I do. Everyone has been so kind.” – Maureen

• Joanna’s story: Her father built her a doll’s house from scratch for her fifth birthday, complete with wallpaper and carpet. Their resourcefulness and creativity stayed with her for life.

  
  

• Joyce’s story: A mother who raised three boys while her husband served in the Navy, later spending decades travelling the world and collecting fridge magnets from every stop.

  
  

• John’s story: A lifelong writer of limericks whose wit and humour brought joy to everyone around him.

  
  

Each story reminded us how reflection can spark laughter, connection, and resilience, and how sharing those moments brings people closer together.

Why Life Story Work Matters

Life Story work helps strengthen social wellbeing by:

• Encouraging meaningful conversations and reducing feelings of isolation

• Recognising individual experiences and building confidence

• Creating a sense of belonging and shared identity

• Helping families and carers understand a person’s life story in deeper ways

Life Story Books are for everyone. I’ve had clients aged 43 to 101. No matter where we are in life, storytelling helps us connect with who we are and the people around us.

Bringing Life Story Work to Your Organisation

Life Story projects can be easily adapted for care homes, community groups, volunteer organisations, and wellbeing programmes. To start your own:

1. Identify participants who might benefit from creative connection or social engagement.

2. Use a facilitator to guide conversations and ensure everyone has the chance to share.

3. Structure sessions around life themes like childhood, work, family, hobbies, and milestones.

4. Encourage participants to design their own Life Story Book through writing, photos, or artwork.

5. Celebrate the completed books with a group event to build confidence and connection.

   
   

If you’d like to run your own Memories and Milestones project, I offer training, toolkits, and facilitation across Hampshire, Surrey, and West Sussex. You can also explore my DIY Life Story guide to support individuals in creating their own books.

Rachel Lewis is the Founder of The Life Story Team. She leads creative projects that use storytelling to build connection, confidence, and community.

Learn more about her work at Presenting Your Past and The Life Story Team