MEMORIES of Hill End Hospital and other psychiatric institutions around St Albans are being collected for a new website dedicated to their history.

The district council, the Trestle Theatre Company and the county council archive service are collaborating on a project known as Out of Sight, Out of Mind, recording the era when hospitals housing thousands of permanent residents were an important feature of St Albans.

Hill End Hospital in south St Albans and Napsbury near London Colney both closed in the 1990s in line with the national shift to “care in the community”.

The Trestle Arts Base is a community theatre formed from part of the old Hill End Hospital.

The website, when launched, will give former residents, staff, relatives and local people the opportunity to load up their own images and memories of the hospitals .

Three artists, musician Tim Jennings, visual artist Eileen Ramsay and writer Anna Reynolds have led workshops in three local schools as part of the project.

Project manager Tricia Dibb said: “Year 6 students at Camp JMI and Windermere School and Year 8 students at Francis Bacon School worked with the artists using art, music and the written word to develop their understanding of the lives of the people who lived and worked at Hill End Hospital.

“The workshops produced some wonderful pieces of work which were shared by all of the children involved in an event at Francis Bacon School.

“Additional workshops were also held for users of St Peter’s Street Day Centre and at Trestle Arts Base.

Anyone interestedd in helping edit the website should contact her on 01727 827667 or at outofsight@leisureconnection.co.uk.