By Tony O’Riley-
A documentary about homelessness made by a group of volunteers highlighting everyday struggles with poverty premieres tonight.
‘Foodbank Bolton: An insider’s view’ was made by a group of volunteers at the Bolton NICE foodbank over a period of several months.
The 20-minute short film stars actor and journalist Nigel Pivaro — Coronation Street’s Terry Duckworth. Using the banner ‘Bolton Community Smile’ the group came together with the plan of making a documentary about poverty, homelessness and isolation in their town.
The film is practical in its feature and narration, using stories from homeless people in poverty or caught in benefit traps, offering a vivid look into their lives. The film makers hope to raise awareness of the issues that affect people dealing with poverty.
Martin McLoughlin, who runs the Bolton NICE charity told The Eye Of Media.Com:
” This film is very real and could be very depressing or upsetting for some people to watch. It gives a picture of what homelessness is like for many people in Bolton. The footage took a year to put together and shows the efforts of volunteers who work for nothing to help the homeless. Homeless people go through very different and complex problems and it can be very distressing to see.
We have 30 volunteers with a big heart for the homeless and no staff at all.Everyone does their best. “Bolton’s problems are several, but the fact is that these problems are not being solved.
“I hope that local councillors and politicians will look at this film to start them thinking that they should be doing other things, and more importantly that all the local charities should be linking up instead of fighting one another for funding.”
Describing itself as a “documentary on poverty, homelessness, isolation. and washing lines”, the volunteers re-enact the Victorian solution the “penny hang” in the town square, which involved homeless people sleeping under shelter over a washing line, instead of exposed on the streets.
Grant McAuley, a Bolton NICE volunteer and the film’s narrator, said: “Our motives and purpose is right. We want to which is to get the message out about poverty and homelessness that something has to be done.
” We hope our film raises awareness and gets the people in positions of power who can start getting the ball rolling and getting things done in Bolton for these people.”
The project was filmed across the town and was made entirely by volunteers.Foodbank Bolton: An Insider’s view premieres tonight at The Roundhouse from 8pm.
Image: Bolton Nice