Film-makers bring the developing world to UK screens
24 October 2008
Award-winning film-makers yesterday had the opportunity to showcase their work
to DFID Minister Ivan Lewis.
As part of a visit to East Anglia in which he also saw a campaign launched to
make Great Yarmouth a Fairtrade Town, Mr Lewis visited the CBA-DFID
Broadcast Media Scheme at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.
The scheme, which is funded by DFID and is run by the
CBA (Commonwealth
Broadcasting Association), was set up to provide development funding for
programme-makers and producers so they could travel to the developing world and
shoot taster tapes to offer to UK commissioners. The aim of the scheme is to
ensure that coverage of the developing world reaches as wide a UK audience as
possible.
Ivan Lewis met BBC East producer Paul Baker, who presented his award-winning
documentary, ‘The Hospital’. The film, which was the winner of the One World
Award 2006, follows the story of Northampton woman Anita Smith, who started
supporting the development of Bansang Hospital in The Gambia after visiting it
while on a family holiday. Anita raised funds for the new children’s ward and
nurses’ accommodation in Bansang and set up a partnership link with her
local hospital in Kettering. Paul went on to make a second film, fully funded by the BBC, where he
returned to Bansang and witnessed the real changes that had taken place.
Speaking at the event, Mr Lewis said:
“This scheme is a great way to provide the public with information on global
issues that are of interest to us in Britain. It helps small, independent film-makers like Paul tell how Anita has saved the lives of children in Gambia by
raising money to help build a new children’s ward in the local hospital.”
Great Yarmouth goes Fairtrade
Mr
Lewis continued his day with a visit to nearby Great Yarmouth, where he meet staff and
pupils at Edward Worlledge Community Middle School. The DFID Minister sat in on a
lesson where children tested their international knowledge playing DFID’s
interactive learning tool, Race Against Global Poverty.
The game is a fun and interactive educational quiz designed to help young people
aged 11 to 16 develop a greater understanding of world poverty.
Play the game online in our Discovery Zone.
Mr Lewis then went on to visit the local Oxfam shop in the town, where
volunteers were launching a local campaign to make Great Yarmouth a Fairtrade
Town.
Speaking
at shop, the Minister said:
“Fairtrade is about helping farmers in developing countries get fair prices for
the goods they produce. The public support Fairtrade and so does this
Government. The next step is for local companies, retailers and the wider
community to get behind this campaign. If we work together we can achieve fair
prices and make a real difference to the lives of millions of people across the
world.”
Links
- UEA film makers bring developing world to UK screens - Press release, 23 October
- Oxfam volunteers bid to make Great Yarmouth a Fairtrade Town - Press release, 23 October
