ACT funds two exciting new local youth programmes

Anglian Community Trust has funded two new projects that will help to improve the lives of young disadvantaged people in North East Essex, many suffering from mental health problems.

It has awarded £9,000 to the Underdog Crew to produce an exciting new youth TV pilot about the lives of young people in Colchester, called The Slip.  A story about this production was featured recently on BBC Look East, BBC Essex and BBC Online. Read more about the coverage here.

Hailed as Colchester’s own Byker Grove by creator DB Morgan, it also stars several high profile British actors. These performers include ex-Hollyoaks star Paul Danan and actress Alison Carroll, who was the original Lara Croft from the iconic Tomb Raider video games. 

Director DB Morgan is very excited about what the project could do for the confidence of young people and the image of Colchester. “We are extremely privileged to be able to film this project in my home city, thanks to ACT. The project will involve recruiting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help make the production in front of the camera and behind the scenes too, with the purpose of improving their well-being.

“I’m also excited about shining a creative light on one of Britain’s newest cities. It’s a dream come true to highlight some amazing locations like the Hythe Docks, our iconic city centre and many other fantastic visual locations.

“The fact we also have some prolific acting talent getting behind the project is nothing short of amazing. Their allyship will ensure maximum exposure as we aim to create a meaningful and marketable television project exclusively in our city.”

The series chronicles the life of Macey Caine, a teenage girl, who cares for her sick mother while trying to enjoy a normal life and strive for her dreams.

It tackles current real world teen problems, including mental health issues and many other sensitive subjects that exist in modern British youth culture. These challenges and traumas experienced by young carers are often unseen and exhausting for them to deal with.

The Underdog Crew will work closely with local charity, Action For Family Carers, while developing the script, to make sure it is as authentic as possible. AFFC has been helping young carers for years in Colchester and throughout Essex, to get their lives back on track.

ACT has also awarded £11,000 to Uniform7, which will create new clothes more suitable for children with autism and learning disabilities, who struggle with traditional uniforms.

Rachael Richards from Uniform7 added: “We are really pleased to be recognised as a deserving organisation to receive funding from ACT. We know we will be able to make a huge difference to the lives of the children affected by sensory and physical disabilities with our adaptive school wear. Some children can’t leave the house to go to school because of the way their clothing affects them. We are passionate about supporting inclusion in all walks of life and setting a good example in our local community.”

Both projects were funded following a Social Impact Hackathon event designed and facilitated last year by The Weave – a regional business co-founded by James Cracknell and Adam Roxby.

The Weave worked in partnership with ACT, alongside other established regional organisations, including the University of Essex and Colbea, to organise this challenge event to encourage innovation.

Out of five applicants, The Underdog Crew and Uniform7 were the winners.

Greenstead councillor Julie Young, who is also the chairwoman of ACT, was delighted the organisation could fund these projects.

““The trustees at ACT wanted a different approach and the Hackathon met our objectives. Individuals and groups were invited to pitch for the £20K pot and worked with James at Essex University to finesse their project idea and pitch to the trustees. The trustees played an active part attending workshops and judging the final pitch. Underdog Crew and Uniform7 stood out for us, as they both focus on specific disadvantaged groups, offering skills development for young people in the case of the Underdog Crew and addressing neurodiverse needs with Uniform7. What they offer is unique and trustees wanted to help them be successful in what they do. We hope to stay in touch and work with them in the future.” 

James Cracknell said the process should help the groups to become more resilient in the future. “This funding is a significant step towards advancing our vision of a more impactful, sustainable national economy built region by region. By supporting businesses through new opportunities and partnerships, these projects have the potential to make a positive impact on people’s lives. We are all excited to see them fully realised and go on to greatness. This Hackathon was a success, but we must do more. We are proud of the work done by The Underdog Crew and Uniform7 and look forward to their continued success.”

DB Morgan agrees the funding from ACT and other funders will help to make his project more resilient. “We enjoy working with marginalised and at-risk teenagers, bringing them into real world filmmaking productions for training and work experience. But more importantly, the project empowers young adults, harnessing the magic of film to promote positivity and wellbeing.

“We’ve been running the project for over 10 years now, predominantly self-funded, and have also recently been rewarded with grant funding from Community 360 for £50,000 to open our first permanent studio base in Colchester. To celebrate this, we wanted to create a unique project – The Slip – to thank the city for its amazing support and expand on our creative ventures with local youths.”

The projects should be life-changing for many young people and ACT will continue to support the projects as they develop.