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The Birmingham Back to Backs are run by the National Trust.

Between 22 April to 25 April 2005, we decked the courtyard with flags and bunting and held a WW2 street party of our own. George Mitchell's house, usually dressed in 1930s style, became a 1940s house for week, complete with ration books, warden's helmet and gas masks. All of our volunteers and staff dressed in 1940s outfits and we made sure that the urn was kept boiling!

During the week, we invited members from 6 different older people's day centres around Birmingham to come along and share their wartime memories with us. Joyce Wallace of Artscope, part of Age Concern Birmingham, arranged for groups to come from Henbury Court, the Birmingham Jewish Centre, Wesley Court, Aston Court, and the Handsworth Senior Citizens Club.

Many of the following stories were told to our volunteers by these guests.