The Woman Behind Coleraine Rewind: How Sandra Watton is Reviving Memories

For Sandra Watton, it all started with a lightbulb moment. Six months ago, she launched the Coleraine Rewind Facebook page, a digital time machine transporting people back to the streets, shops, and shared memories of Coleraine town. 

In that short time, her page has amassed over 3,400 members, reconnecting people across generations, continents, and decades. 

“It warms my heart,” Sandra says with a smile. “I’ve received so many messages from people saying this group has brought them so much joy.”

Sandra’s inspiration came from what she describes as ‘a light bulb moment’.

“When Irene (Pedan) passed away, the Old Coleraine site had been put to rest with her. That was about 18 months before I started Coleraine Rewind.

“My hubby knew I was interested in history and he said to me about BBC Rewind where you can get clips of things in Northern Ireland including Coleraine. I went on and looked and thought oh my goodness, if only the Old Coleraine site was still running, think about how much information you could get from this and that’s how it started.”

Sandra continued: “I thought, why not create something similar? There’s so much history here, and it deserves its own space.

“I then got in touch with Coleraine Museum, the BBC and Maurice Bradley - I went down a rabbit hole with it and never came back.”

From the outset, Coleraine Rewind struck a chord with people of all ages. “It’s nostalgic for people,” said Sandra. “It takes people back to their youth, to memories of their parents, to streets and shops that shaped their lives. It’s just lovely to be able to give that to people.”

Though originally launched as a hobby, Sandra quickly realised her page had the power to transform lives. 

For older members, many of whom learned to navigate technology during the pandemic, the group has become a vital lifeline. 

“I get so many private messages where people are saying to me thank you for starting this group because I’ve been able to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in years.

“One man in his late 80s, who emigrated to Australia over 50 years ago, sent me a message saying, ‘You don’t know what this means to me. I’ve been able to reconnect with so many people and places I miss where I grew up,’ Sandra shared.

“When I get comments like it just warms my heart, I think how lovely it is that people are able to reconnect and revisit their youth with all the reminiscence that’s going on in the background, I’m so glad I decided to do it.

“That’s what I love about it. If the older generation can reconnect - my goodness if there was one thing you could do in life, being able to bring people back together again, would that not be a brilliant thing to do?”

The group has also attracted local history enthusiasts, creating a cross-generational exchange. Together, they help ensure that every post - from photos of long-lost shops to school class pictures - is authentic and meaningful.

Sandra describes her team of “group experts” as invaluable, including an 80-year-old local woman with a great memory of Coleraine’s past.

“She is a tremendous help with the 40s, 50s and 60s, explained Sandra. “When I put a post up she remembers the locations and the shops, who worked in the shop and who lived next door, she has a fantastic memory.

“We have a young guy Matt who is fantastic. He researches history and is fascinated by the town, so he contributes in that way because he has done the research. So you have people there to fall back on for support.

“I have two other admins who are great - John and Adrian Moffatt. They help me run it especially if I’m away on holiday.

“Running the page isn’t always easy,” Sandra admits. “I have to monitor comments to make sure the space remains inclusive, and that can be a challenge. But the members are brilliant. They’re engaged, they contribute, and they make it a true community.”

Sandra balances her role as the creator of Coleraine Rewind with her demanding day job as a social work coordinator, helping people improve their quality of life.

“I’m a coordinator for Living Well Moyle,” she said. “I am part of the social work team in Ballycastle and I would be part of five GP practices and would manage that caseload.

“I would have people from all five practices and go out and do assessments and support people whether that’s to get carers coming in, whether that would be occupational therapy, it could be mental health, it could be counselling, it could be addiction, it could be absolutely everything.

“My role is to go out and assess what that person needs to live a better life and to give their life more quality.

“It’s all about supporting people, whether through work or through the page,” she added. “I love being able to do both.”

Sandra’s roots in Coleraine run deep, and her heartfelt passion for the town and its history shines through in everything she does. Her Coleraine Rewind page has become much more than a collection of memories - it’s a lifeline of connection, a celebration of community, and, for thousands of people - it’s a second home.