Who We Are

About HGL Collective

A community interest company founded on the belief that every person's lived experience is part of the national cultural record and deserves to be preserved.

Our Story

Built for community.
Governed for public good.

Close your eyes and think of a memory with someone you love. A summer afternoon. A kitchen smell. A voice you haven't heard in years. Now imagine that memory preserved, not just for you, but for everyone who comes after you.

That is what HGL Collective exists to do. We believe that every person's lived experience is part of the national cultural record, and that the stories least likely to be captured by institutions are often the ones that matter most.

We are a Community Interest Company, which means every decision we make, every project we take on, and every penny we generate goes back into that mission. Not to shareholders. Not to private gain. But to the communities whose stories deserve to endure.

Explore Our First Project Our Governance →
A woman looking at a wall of family photographs arranged around a hand-drawn family tree
The Team

People who make it happen

Our core team brings together decades of experience across technology delivery, financial management, community engagement, and heritage practice.

What We Believe

Values at the heart of everything

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Integrity

We are transparent in our governance, honest in our reporting, and committed to the highest ethical standards in the management of people's personal stories.

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Innovation

We use technology thoughtfully, not for its own sake, but to make storytelling more accessible, preservation more reliable, and participation more inclusive.

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Community Empowerment

History should be told by people, not just about people. We put the storyteller in control at every step including of what is shared, how, and with whom.

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Radical Inclusion

Accessibility is not an afterthought. BSL support, plain-language guides, multilingual tools, and multiple contribution formats are built into our design from the start.

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Safeguarding First

Every decision we make, from platform design to workshop facilitation, is grounded in our duty of care to contributors, particularly vulnerable adults and young people.

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Long-term Thinking

We are building something that will outlast us. The archive, the skills network, and the community we build are designed to serve future generations, not just present funders.

Mission Statement

Why we exist

To empower individuals and communities by giving voice to lived experiences, preserving heritage, and fostering connections across society. Our platform ensures stories are shared authentically, inclusively, and safely building understanding and empathy across generations.
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