Press Release
20th February 2009
People with learning disabilities take on the Daleks: Film premiers at Liverpool’s Big Screen
Liverpool’s landmarks and transport systems play a starring role in a new film animation created by a group of people with learning disabilities premiering at Clayton Square’s Big Screen this month.
Written, produced and performed by the group from Anfield, “From Oakfiends to Iron Men” is a time travelling adventure, which sees Dr Who taking on his archenemies the Daleks with the help of Crosby Beach’s ‘Iron Men’. This seven minute animation - a collaboration between the disability charity, United Response and the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) - is being shown hourly until 28th February.
Veronica Astor is the service manager at United Response’s Oakfield Day Centre in Anfield. She said:
“We were really pleased to have the chance to take part in such an exciting project. Many of the people who use the day centre are very creative and it’s great that with the help of the team at the WEA they have the opportunity to show off their talent to the whole of Liverpool.”
Denise, who uses United Response’s Oakfield centre is one of the people who took part in the making of the film. She said:
“I enjoyed making the film, especially working on the computers to do research.
“It’s fantastic that the film is on the big screen. I feel very proud because I know I helped to make it.”
“From Oakfiends to Iron Men” was created through ‘Culture of Arts’, a public arts programme run by the WEA to promote Liverpool’s diverse communities and help to celebrate the various cultures within the city during the Capital of Culture year.
The project encouraged participation from groups who may have previously experienced exclusion from society or who may have found it difficult to participate in community arts projects.
Culture of Arts Project Manager Alex Whittle said:
“This type of community project has engaged and participated with a group of learners who, through creativity, have been able to express themselves and gain a range of skills which previously may have been difficult to achieve.”
“From Oakfiends to Iron Men” was produced in partnership with Merseytravel and with the support of Liverpool Culture Company and Radio Merseyside.
Ends
For more information, please contact Sarah Bartlett or Jaime Gill in the United Response Press Office on020 8246 5237 or 020 8246 5122 or emailsarah.bartlett@unitedresponse.org.uk or jaime.gill@unitedresponse.org.uk
Notes to editors
United Response is a top 100 charity operating in England and Wales, providing a range of support and services for more than 1,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs or physical disabilities. We employ over 2,000 people across the organisation and have won many awards for our pioneering work since being founded in 1973.
Our mission is to enable people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities to take control of their lives.
Our vision is a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
The services we provide depend on each person we work with. We can provide 24-hour support for people with profound physical needs, or just a few hours for those who need less support to live their lives. We can job coach someone into meaningful paid employment. We can provide outreach support for someone with a mental health need or help people who find it difficult to communicate by making information more accessible. The key to our success is that we work with each person to do the things they want to do, supporting them to communicate what they want and tell us how we are doing.
In support of our vision, we also campaign to improve the lives of people with disabilities in society. This may mean lobbying decision makers such as MPs to ensure that people’s voices are heard or it might mean working directly with disabled people so that they can be more directly engaged in the democratic process. We also work with employers to ensure that more people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities get a fair opportunity to work.
In 2008 alone, we were shortlisted as best employer in the Third Sector Excellence Awards and highly commended for our Annual Report. We also won a highly prestigious National Training Award for the investment we make in our staff.
Workers’ Educational Association
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) is the largest voluntary sector provider of adult education in Britain and provides learning opportunities for over 80,000 people each year. It operates in all nine English Regions and in Scotland and employs over three thousand part-time tutors.
The WEA creates and delivers courses in response to local need, often in partnership with community groups, local charities and other organisations. The WEA believes that education is life-long and should continue beyond school, college and university in order to help people develop their full human potential in society.
The North West region of the WEA covers the counties of Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria. The region attracts thousands of students each year to its courses. The courses take place in over 400 venues throughout the region. Where the region has branches many of the courses are organised with the assistance of their voluntary members and committees. In other areas our professional staff and a significant network of partnerships and co-operative working arrangements helps to build a substantial programme of regional courses.
Merseytravel
Merseytravel works to promote the interests of Merseyside's travelling public while providing value for money for its local tax payers. The public sector body co-ordinates public transport through partnership initiatives, with the aim of delivering a fully integrated and environmentally friendly public transport network accessible to everyone.
Merseytravel is controlled by democratically elected councillors from the five Merseyside local authorities, who set the policies for officers to deliver. Merseytravel is committed to playing a major role in the continued regeneration of Merseyside - economically and socially.
Merseytravel provides bus services linking communities with hospitals, schools and other vital social outlets at times when bus companies find it unprofitable.
Liverpool Culture Company
The Liverpool Culture Company is the organisation set up by Liverpool City Council to deliver the culture programme up to and beyond 2008. Liverpool won the 2008 race because people - our city's greatest asset - were at the heart of the bid and we want to ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to take part when Liverpool takes its curtain call before the eyes of the world in 2008.
We are working closely with all our stakeholders - including cultural organisations, communities, creative industries, artists, schools and businesses - to help Liverpool shine on the world stage by delivering the best-ever European Capital of Culture 2008. As a result, we hope to leave a lasting and positive legacy for the people of Liverpool, including more jobs, a stronger economy and a better place to live.
BBC Radio Merseyside
BBC Radio Merseyside moved from its former home in Paradise Street, Liverpool, to a new purpose-built studio building on the corner of Hanover Street and College Lane in Liverpool. This building has three ground-floor studios next to a public performance space. An Open Learning Centre is on the first floor and the main office is on the second floor.