Westminster here we come!
Following the success of our launch in Hereford on 29 February, we’re planning to take the campaign to Westminster. On 16 May, we’ll be visiting Portcullis House for a special screening to MPs, House of Lords and senior Civil Servants. Jesse Norman, our local MP, will be hosting the evening and Sylvia Brown, Chief Executive of ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) will be speaking about the issues.
One of our hopes for the campaign is that it has a ‘shelf life’ beyond the three years of its funding from the Nationwide Foundation. Raising the profile of this important issue with politicians, policy makers and decision makers everywhere will ensure the campaign has longevity.
The new website www.overthehillcampaign.org.uk has all resources available free of charge. In addition, ACRE’s topic sheet on ageing (http://www.acre.org.uk/Resources/ACRE/Documents/Community%20Led%20Planning/CLP%20Topic%20Sheet%20-%20Older%20People.pdf) will help to keep the issues on the agenda.
Over the hill? Launch Success
On 29 February, the Over the hill? campaign was officially launched in Hereford as part of the Borderlines Film Festival. The launch featured the premiere of our new campaign film, and we were delighted that the full cast and many crew members were able to attend. Invited guests included the Mayor and Chair of Herefordshire Council, as well as many other local Councillors. We were also pleased that several of the organisations featured in our Over the hill? case studies were present.
In the first part of the launch, Aggie MacKenzie introduced the case study presentations and chaired the questions and answers session. Author and commentator on rural living, Mavis Cheek, then shared her thoughts on life in rural Wiltshire as a prelude to the premiere of our new Over the hill? drama short.
All resources are now available free of charge from our new campaign website: www.overthehillcampaign.org.uk.
We are delighted to announce that the three actors involved in the Over the hill? drama short will all be attending the launch in Hereford on 29 February at the Courtyard. Doreen Mantle, Joan Blackham and Rob Swinton are superb in the film, and we’re really looking forward to them joining us.
The launch is being hosted by Mavis Cheek, prolific writer and commentator on rural living. Mavis has said previously: “Life in the country is tough, a little bit dangerous and not for wimps. I cannot imagine growing old here!”.
With over 60 invited guests confirmed to attend we are sure it will be an enjoyable and thought provoking evening.
Tickets for the general public are available from the Courtyard box office at £2. Phone 01432 340555 to book.
In advance of its UK premiere on 29 February at the Borderlines Film Festival, Hereford, please take a look at the trailer for the Over the Hill? campaign film. This can be viewed at: www.overthehillcampaign.org.uk.
Starring Doreen Mantle and Joan Blackham, the film highlights many of the issues associated with rural retirement. For further information, please contact janb@ruralmedia.co.uk.
End of year update
We are working hard on our short drama film. It’s due to be launched at Borderlines Film Festival in Hereford on 29 February and is looking great.
The film is a compelling tale of a middle aged couple who come to view their ‘idyllic’ retirement cottage, only to find that life in the countryside as an older person isn’t always a bed of roses. The film has now been edited and is near completion.
We’re also planning to launch a dedicated Over the hill? campaign website – more details to follow.
A merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. See you in 2012!
Breakfast Meetings in Herefordshire
We were pleased to see so many people at our Over the hill? breakfast seminars, held in Leominster and Hereford during October and November 2011. The audience included representatives from Housing Associations, the Local Council and Charitable bodies, as well as Town and Parish Councillors.
As well as an opportunity to screen two of the ‘best practice’ films from our campaign DVD, the seminars stimulated some interesting debate about the future needs of older people in Herefordshire.
The objective of the presentation was also to encourage attendees to share the information with their colleagues and associates and to consider utilising the films as a stimulus for debate with local communities, particularly in connection with community led planning initiatives.
Community Impact Bucks leads the way
Jean Fox at Community Impact Bucks has recently been in touch to let us know that she’s planning an event, using the Over the hill? DVD. She’s using the films as a means to encourage debate in the village of Cheddington about older people’s housing needs. Jean says: “Many thanks for the DVD. It’s really good and I am planning on basing an event in one of my parishes around it.”
Thanks Jean. This is exactly the kind of event we were hoping for!
Herefordshire Breakfast Seminars
Two breakfast seminars are being held in Herefordshire to promote the Over the hill? campaign DVD. An invited audience, including parish councillors, advisory groups, charities and housing associations, will attend breakfast meetings in Leominster (26 October) and Hereford (1 November) to discuss rural ageing issues. The event is being co-hosted by Age Concern Hereford and Localities.
For further information, contact janb@ruralmedia.co.uk.
Short film update
We are delighted to have secured the services of three fine actors to appear in our Over the hill? short film. Doreen Mantle, Joan Blackham and Rob Swinton all performed brilliantly when we shot the film in rural Herefordshire in August. The film is now being edited and should be available soon. The storyline is about a middle aged couple (played by Joan Blackham and Rob Swinton) who come to view a cottage in the countryside – their ‘dream’ retirement home. All does not go to plan, causing them to rethink.
Once completed, we are planning to distribute the film as widely as possible. We are targeting in particular people who are in their 50s and 60s who are considering retiring to the countryside. If you are in touch with this group of people please let us know. Email janb@ruralmedia.co.uk.
Over the hill? Update
We are busy casting for our short drama film, which will be shot in rural Herefordshire in late August. The film, which has a working title of ‘Away from it all’ tells the story of a late middle-aged couple searching for their dream retirement home in the countryside. They find a cottage which appears to be just what they’ve been looking for. However, they soon realise that retirement to the countryside isn’t always a bed of roses.
We are hoping to get the film broadcast widely towards the end of 2011/beginning of 2012. More details to follow.