The need to leave something of ourselves behind is very important to many people. One way to do this is by sharing stories about your life and experiences. This not only helps people understand who you are and where you've come from, but can also allow younger people to learn about their own histories.
It was this need to leave a lasting legacy that led Patrick Vernon to start The Charmed Life campaign, which is about collecting the stories of older African and Caribbean men and women to share with young people.
Patrick's idea for The Charmed Life came about 10 years ago, when he met the late Eddie Noble. Born in Jamaica in 1917, Eddie fought with the British RAF as one of 10,000 Caribbean people who served in World War II. It was the racism he came across in the Air Force, as well as in the UK after the War, that made Eddie decide he wanted to spend his life fighting racism.
Patrick is determined not to let the remarkable stories of Eddie's generation slip away. The Charmed Life project is about collecting biographies, photographs, stories and poetry from people like Eddie. The best of these will be published in a book next year.
Eddie Noble's story
"I'm going to live my life in such a way that people have to respect me - and with respect comes recognition. It has worked for me and I never get tired of repeating it."
These are the words of a remarkable man who saw a great deal of change during his long life.
Eddie Noble's story is about being strong and brave when things are really tough. Born in Jamaica in 1917, his life was hard because of his colour. After being thrown out of school for being born out of wedlock, he joined the Royal Air Force, hoping this would help him get on in life. But Eddie's skin colour meant he was never promoted, despite working hard and doing more than was asked of him.
After moving to Britain, Eddie's colour led to more problems. In those days, banks did not
lend to black people, so he could not start a business. He was also beaten up by members of the National Front, something that left him with damaged eyesight for the rest of his life.
Yet even though life was never easy for Eddie, he did not give way to hatred. Instead, he
began writing down his story. Eddie wrote two books: The Burden of Illegitimacy and Black in Britain. Eddie made it his aim to teach people - especially young people - not to judge people by the colour of their skin. He taught people to be kind and patient and to keep an open mind.
Jamaica Airman - one of the books by Eddie, who died in 2007, aged 90.
What you can do
Share your stories, knowledge and photographs on the The Charmed Life campaign website.
Research your family history using the websites and books on this page (see 'Useful resources', below).
See a clip from The Charmed Life documentary about Eddie Noble's life here and read more about the film here on guardian.co.uk
Find tips on writing your own story here, or print our free how to guides for researching your family and local history
Useful resources
Websites
nationalarchives.gov.uk
The UK government's offi cial archive, containing
over 1,000 years of history, including records for
family history research.
bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory
The BBC website is a great place to start researching
your family history.
ancestry.co.uk
The largest family records site in the UK, with records
dating back to the 1300s. Available free in local libraries.
movinghere.org.uk
Resources to trace your Irish, Caribbean, Jewish and
South Asian roots.
Books
Writing Your Family History, by Deborah Cass
Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History, by Mark Herber
