The Community Channel www.communitychannel.org/ is showing a series of short films the week commencing 1 March. 

Please see press release below:

UNTOLD STORIES

A SERIES OF POWERFUL SHORT FILMS CHAMPIONING THE CAUSES OF UK CHARITIES MADE BY VOLUNTEERS FROM THE FILM AND TV INDUSTRY TO BE BROADCAST ON COMMUNITY CHANNEL.

Untold Stories is a new five-part series profiling the extraordinary work of lesser-known charities. Each film has been directed and produced by professional filmmakers who have volunteered their time to help 25 different causes.  Each episode is introduced by Sir Trevor McDonald who says “All over the country, small organisations are making big changes in areas like health, sport and the environment. Without the support of Community Channel and the volunteers their stories would remain untold.”

The series, to be broadcast on Community Channel from Monday 1st March, will be stripped across the week with each episode made up of five short films.  

The first episode opens with JUMP, a moving film made by former Hollyoaks scriptwriter and editor, Richard Shaw. JUMP is the name of the children’s charity, based in the North West, set up by Christine Hawthorn and her daughter Christie following the death of Christie’s son Jacob who was diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. 

Christine documented each day of Jacob’s tragically short life with photographs and videos so that his memory could live on. “It was not just about the photographs,” says Christie. “It was about capturing his [Jacob’s] voice.” Knowing how easy it is to let the happy memories fade when caring for a child on a day-to-day basis, the Hawthorn’s decided to offer other families of disabled and terminally ill children this unique opportunity of celebrating their child’s achievements. 

“They have a wonderful way of making you feel that you have the most special child in the world,” says Sam Copeland, whose five year old daughter Beth suffers from Spina Bifida and is confined to a wheelchair.  The film captures Beth proudly describing the moment Tigeroo, the charity’s mascot, made her feel the most important bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding. This heart-warming mini documentary highlights the power of JUMP and the continuing impact it has on children and their families. 

Episode two starts with a film about London-based homeless charity Groundswell, called The Escape Plan, produced and directed by Rachel Harvie at Love Productions. Groundswell gives grants and training to help homeless people regain control of their lives. 

Andrew was a security guard with a good income but with no focus or financial guidance, he turned to drugs ending up on the streets a crack cocaine addict with no job.  Today Andrew works as an advisor for Groundswell. The film also meets Spike who lived in squats and hostels from the age of 17 ending up in prison a heroin addict aged 39. “I was disappointed with life,” he says.  “My motto was live hard and fast, die young and end up a good-looking corpse”. Today Spike has turned his life around, he runs his own business, has a staff of 20 and an annual turnover of £150,000 and wants to inspire others to do the same. 

The Escape Plan is a new piece of research conducted by Groundswell which seeks to capture the wisdom of formerly homeless people who have successfully moved on, like Andrew and Spike.  It will disseminate this information to currently homeless people, to help them also escape the cycle of homelessness.

Episode three begins with MOSAIC, made by award winning filmmaker Zeina Aboul-Hosn. Siblings Khadija and Ahmed love the Lake District. Having spent most of their lives caught up in the neighbouring sprawl of Preston, they have been coming to this beautiful National Park for years.  Now they want to make sure that others in their community also have a chance to visit our most spectacular landscapes.  

This charming film highlights the work of Mosaic, a partnership lead by the Campaign for National Parks, which trains ‘Community Champions’ like Khadija and Ahmed to encourage their local communities to enjoy the beauty of the open air. About 100 million people visit Britain’s National Parks a year but only one percent are from ethnic minorities. Mosaic wants to change this and Khadija and Ahmed are leading the way. 

The Sequal Trust starts the fourth episode, made with the expertise of professional filmmaker James Bolchover, about a fundraising charity for people in urgent need of communication aids. Hannah was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at birth, she cannot speak and has limited mobility. Today Hannah is at college, has a great social life and loves to text as much as any other 20-year-old. 17-year-old Leo has a condition called ‘Global Developmental Delay’ that affects all areas of his life. It is debilitating, isolating and deeply frustrating. 

This enlightening short shows how The Sequal Trust has transformed the lives of so many young people. By raising money to buy the highly sophisticated communication systems needed to help people like Hannah and Leo, 

The Sequal Trust is helping them find their voices and enabling them to lead independent lives. 

The fifth and final episode of the Untold Stories week starts with Stop The Clock, a short film made under the guidance of BBC producer Susan Doyon highlighting the race against time of people with ataxia for the charity Ataxia UK. Ataxia is a degenerative neurological condition that can strike at any age and affects balance, coordination and speech to the point that most people become entirely dependent on others.

This powerful film visually highlights the uphill battle people with ataxia face as they fight against their body clock to maintain independence. “Soon she will not have the use of her legs, will no longer be able to make a cup of tea or be recognised by her friends on the phone,” says the film’s narrator. This punchy short drives home the urgent need for greater understanding of and research into this potentially treatable disease.

Untold Stories will be shown on Community Channel which broadcasts on Sky (539), Virgin TV (233) and Freeview (87) commencing on 1 March 2010. 

Press contact

Rebecca Ladbury, Ladbury PR Ltd

Rebecca@ladburypr.com

07941 224975

Notes to Editors
Media Trust

Media Trust is the UK’s leading communications charity.  They believe that everyone should have a voice and the opportunity to be heard.  They work with media organisations and charities to enhance their communications and enable communities to find their voice.  They own and run Community Channel, the UK’s only national TV channel dedicated to communities, their stories and the organisations that support them.

Community Channel

Community Channel is dedicated to engaging people with the charitable and voluntary sector, showcasing stories and issues that inspire action and encourage involvement.  Broadcasting original shows, the best of terrestrial TV and showcasing the work of new directors and community programme-makers, Community Channel is the place for real-life stories from communities around the world.  The channel is broadcast 24 hours a day on Sky 539, Virgin TV 233 and from 6am to 9am on Freeview 87.  Community Channel is a Media Trust initiative, www.communitychannel.org

JUMP

JUMP provide a professional photography service to children who have life limiting conditions.

Charity contact: Christine Hawthorn (Founder) 07837 705522 

Email: shawtchris@aol.com

Groundswell

Groundswell’s mission is to empower homeless people to create their own solutions to homelessness.

Charity contact: Athol Halle (CEO) 020 7976 0111

Email: athol@groundswell.org.uk

MOSAIC / Campaign for National Parks

MOSAIC is a national project, led by the Campaign for National Parks, which aims to build sustainable links between black and minority ethnic communities and the National Parks and Youth Hostels Association. 

Ben Fogle is President of CNP and, as a keen supporter of Mosaic, says “Going to the countryside inspired me when I was a child, and led me to pursue the adventures I enjoy now as an adult.  Mosaic is a fantastic project that works to make sure that everyone has that opportunity to experience and be amazed by the most spectacular landscapes in our country.”

Charity contact: Nina Arwitz (Programme Manager) 020 7924 4077

Email: Nina@cnp.org.uk

The Sequal Trust

The Sequal Trust aims to bridge the communication gap by supplying specialist communication equipment for disabled people of all ages across the UK.

Charity contact: Liz Downes 01691 624222

Email: info@thesequaltrust.org.uk

Ataxia UK

The UK’s leading charity for people with ataxia, their families and carers.  The charity also funds research into causes and potential treatments.  

Charity contact: Claire McGowan (Communications Manager) 020 7587 3925

Email: cmcgowan@ataxia.org.uk

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