A partnership which has been celebrating the work of London charities through film for the past decade will continue – thanks to new funding.
City Bridge Foundation, the capital’s biggest independent funder, has awarded £282,765 to the Media Trust for the Telling Your Stories project.
It will enable the scheme, which connects charities funded by the foundation with volunteer filmmakers who produce films showcasing their work, to continue for a further two years.
To mark 10 years of the partnership, an event was held at a south London cinema featuring selected screenings and discussions with charity representatives and filmmakers.
Nighat Qureishi, City Bridge Foundation funding committee chair, said: “For 10 years, our partnership with Media Trust has been matching charities with creative talent from the film industry.
“We’re delighted this new funding means this project, which has been transformative in helping charities find their voice and promote their incredible work through storytelling, will continue for a further two years.”
The celebration event was held at the Everyman Borough Yards cinema in south London, and featured a speech from guest of honour Sara Putt, chair of BAFTA, who said the films ‘highlight underserved and underrepresented communities and bring new stories and story tellers to the fore’.
The City Bridge Foundation funding over two years will enable the Media Trust and the filmmakers it works with to produce 20 more short films highlighting the work of charities from across the capital.
Su-Mei Thomson, Media Trust CEO, said: “We are incredibly proud of our decade-long partnership with City Bridge Foundation. These films are essential assets for outreach and advocacy, allowing charities to raise awareness, reach more beneficiaries and secure much-needed funds.
“We’re fortunate to work with incredible creative talent looking to use their skills to give back by creating powerful charity films that allow audiences to go on someone else’s journey and see the world through their eyes. This project really underscores the power of the media to drive positive social change.”
Films produced under the Telling Your Story scheme screened at the event included:
How Do I Look? – promoting the work of Hackney-based charity Vital Xposure, which promotes hidden voices with extraordinary stories to tell through touring productions with integrated access.
Friends In Deed
– highlighting the work of HostNation, which finds friends for refugees living in London, helping them overcome the isolation and loneliness that can accompany a move to a new country and easing their transition to life in the UK.
Enter The Fold showcasing Fulham Good Neighbours, which supports older people in that part of south-west London in their homes and at its community centre.
