Film Friendly Liverpool Braves Riots to Make a Film!

LIVERPOOL has confirmed its status as one of England’s most film friendly cities by encouraging Channel Four and Oxford Film and Television to film Bradford Riots (a TV feature that explores the aftermath of the rioting in Bradford in 2001) in the city.

The sensitive nature of the film, particularly after the tragedy of the London bombings in July 2005, and the envisaged disruption of a three day riot scene being filmed in a city, meant that it was difficult to find a suitable location for the shoot. The support of North West Vision’s Liverpool Film Office and Liverpool City Council meant that the production came to Liverpool (the 2008 Capital of Culture).

A total of £500,000 was spent in the city during the three weeks of shooting on Merseyside, a huge benefit for the local economy.

A special screening of Bradford Riots, with cast, crew and VIP’s in attendance, will take place on Tuesday 25th April at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool.

Nicolas Brown, Producer said:- “The support from Liverpool City Council, the Liverpool Film Office and the Merseyside police was crucial in achieving a difficult shoot at a very sensitive time. I was hugely impressed by the attitude of all those organisations and individuals who helped us and would thank them all for making my job much easier!”

Lynn Saunders, Liverpool Film Office manager, said:- “This was a sensitive project, but by working with partner organisations and the local community we were able to ensure that filming went smoothly.

The production team used local crew and facilities wherever possible, benefiting local businesses and helping sustain jobs locally.

Liverpool has an ambition to be the most film friendly city in the country and where possible we do all we can to make the production process as easy as possible, because we recognise the important contribution the industry can make to the local economy.

Thousands of people are employed in film and TV related careers across Merseyside, and attracting large scale producers such as Channel 4 creates huge opportunities for them."

Stuart Cosgrove (Channel 4 Director, Nations & Regions) said:- “Channel 4 has an international reputation for challenging film and television. This is another major achievement and will demonstrate that Channel 4 viewers have a hunger for programmes that cut to the controversial heart of British society.”

Neil Biswas (Writer/Director) spent two years amongst Bradford’s Asian community researching the film.

Bradford Riots tells the story of Karim, a young Pakistani student, his family and community in the aftermath of the disturbances, which took place in Bradford in July 2001. The police conducted a search for those present on an unprecedented scale, which resulted in large numbers of young Pakistani men being given prison sentences, the harshest and most widespread for public disorder since the Second World War.

Bradford Riots is one of Channel Four’s major single dramas for this year and will air in early May.

For more information about the film go to:- www.northwestvision.co.uk,

North West nurses to challenge Government on NHS deficits

PETITION launched and nurses from the North West converge on Westminster for mass rally and MP lobby on NHS job cuts and impact on patients.

Steve Flanagan, the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) Regional Director for the North West is calling on local nurses and the public to sign-up and support the RCN's 'KEEP NURSES WORKING, KEEP PATIENTS SAFE' campaign.

Nurses from across the region are being asked to sign a petition and support the RCN's opposition to patient service cuts and job losses caused by NHS deficits. RCN General Secretary Beverly Malone will hand the petition to Tony Blair on May 11.

On the same day the RCN will be holding a national rally in Westminster to voice opposition to the Government's deficits policy. Nurses from across the country, including the North West, will travel to London to lobby their local MPs on the day to put pressure on the Government to safeguard patient services and halt NHS job losses.

Nurses in the region are being encouraged to contact their local RCN office to sign up for the rally, and to write to their local MP to arrange a meeting with them after the rally on May 11.

Steve Flanagan said:- "We are all too well aware of the devastating impact of deficits, patient services are suffering and nurses are losing their jobs. This is an issue which we have been challenging the Government on since early last year. But they are in denial about the scale and the impact of deficit driven cuts.

Our rally and petition are not just a call to arms for nurses; they are a signal that the RCN is prepared to take this battle to the very heart of Government and fight for patients and nurses. We hope that nurses across the North West will join us in our fight to keep nurses working and to keep patient safe."

The RCN petition can be signed online by nurses and the public on the RCN website at:- www.rcn.org.uk.

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