Become a Citizen TV Volunteer in 2024

Applications are now open for our Summer Train & Shoot Package

If developing filmmaking skills or testing your existing skills while making an impact is of interest, this could be just what you are looking for.

The charity produces programmes, shows, shorts and feature films for public benefit. To help make this possible, it provides part-time training for volunteers interested in exploring ideas and using film, video and TV to get a message across.

The volunteering packages we run, result in actual programmes, reports, films and shows, for which everyone is credited and in the media world credits are currency.

There is a simple application form to complete here. We take all who apply, but don’t leave it too long as places fill up fast!

If you have queries or questions do email us at world.write@btconnect.com

Northern Premiere

The UK Solidarity Story

Come join us for a special event at The Adelphi 1-3 Hunslet Road, Leeds LS10 1JQ for the first Northern screening of WORLDwrite’s powerful new documentary.

Recently premiered in London to great acclaim, this epic feature film covers over 160 years of inspiring tales. From the Lancashire millworkers in the 1860’s who supported the abolition of slavery to volunteers in the Spanish civil war to the Battle of Bamber Bridge, Gay liberation and the showdown that was the 1984 miners’ strike. With expert witness testimony interwoven with compelling archive, this is a visual essay for our time. One that challenges cultural silos and sets the record straight on lesser-known tales of bravery, which at times changed the course of history. Today’s virtue signalling can never replace the powerful impact made by taking action in support of our peers, and that’s solidarity.

We’d be delighted if you can make it to this Northern premiere plus Q&A and drinks with Director Ceri Dingle and key contributors including authors Michael Crowley & Don Milligan.

Check out the trailer and full details of the film in the press kit here

This film was supported with a small grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Book your tickets and we look forward to seeing you on the Leeds red carpet!

Date
27th May 2024

Time
6.30 for 7pm start

Film Premiere: The UK Solidarity Story

The film we are launching in 2024

This is the story of solidarity. The film explores key moments in British history when people took it upon themselves to take action in support of a cause that did not impact upon them directly, from the mill workers in Manchester in the 1860s who refused to touch the cotton from American slave plantations to groups today packing vans with goods for Ukraine. Crowd filmed by volunteers, interspersed with firsthand accounts, archive and expert testimony, this documentary brings to life the lesser-known tales which shine a light upon our common humanity. Interwoven with interviews and material to reveal the context, the film uncovers the inspiration this lesser-known history and heritage provides.

We’d love you to attend the premiere at the Castle Cinema in Hackney, London E9 on Saturday 20th April 2024. Tickets are free but you need to book your seats. There are numerous roles and opportunities for volunteers of all ages to help with this film too. Simply apply and we’ll invite you to the next crew meeting.

Date
Saturday 20th April

Time
9.30am

Living Freedom University Salon

The radical universalism of CLR James

This event takes place at the George IV, 28 Portugal Street London WC2A 2HE. It is free to attend but you need to reserve a spot!

As a Marxist revolutionary and Pan-Africanist, critic of European colonialism and respecter of Western civilisation, classicist and lover of popular culture, CLR James confounds many contemporary expectations. Today, when praise for ‘Western culture’ is often dismissed as ‘Eurocentrism’ and identity silos trump a sense of our shared humanity, is a universalist outlook and an emphasis on what we have in common worth defending? Looking back at his life and work, what can we learn from a man once labelled ’the black Plato’?

Speakers Ceri Dingle Director, WORLDwrite; co-director Every Cook Can Govern, the award-winning film on CLR James

Ralph Leonard writer; author, Letter on Liberty: Unshackling Intimacy

WORLDwrite’s C.L.R. James web portal contains a great wealth of information on our hero and our award winning feature film is available to watch on YouTube here.

Date
Tuesday 19th March

Time
6.00 pm

WORLDwrite is 30 Save the Date!

WORLDwrite Garden Party

We’d like you to mark your calendars for a party spectacular as this year we’re celebrating WORLDwrite’s 30th Birthday! Yes, WORLDwrite’s first programmes started life in 1994. With an unwavering belief in freedom and our common humanity, over three decades we’ve worked with 8000 young adults, transcended borders, challenged misanthropy in all its forms and collectively created some great works on a shoestring. Twelve major exchange programmes across the globe, 2000 videos and 18 award winning films in fact. That’s got to be worth a party. So on Saturday 31st August, join us for an unforgettable evening of feasting under the stars, the enchanting melodies of some live acts and a little movie magic. Save the date and be a part of this extraordinary celebration. Free tickets for all friends of the charity and volunteers will be available to book shortly. If you can help us organise this extravaganza from gourmet catering to a spectacular set, to giving us a song or two or designing a fancy invite, your input would be invaluable, just email us so we can rope you in.

Help us keep our volunteer centre open!

Support our Waistland Challenge

At the moment our priority is raising funds to pay our volunteer centre rent and bills, so that we can afford to stay open! Some of our volunteers are doing a ‘Waistland challenge’ to lose pounds and raise many more to help keep the charity’s volunteer centre afloat. They’d be delighted to have your sponsorship here.  Have you got books you can donate to our second-hand bookshop, could you run in a marathon for us? Just email us. Keep us posted on jobs you hear about too, as our volunteers also have bills to pay.

The Sadhvi Sharma Memorial Scholarship Fund

This scholarship fund was set up by WORLDwrite in honour of Sadhvi Sharma who died in March 2021 aged just 39.  The fund will provide annual paid internships for young people interested in working with the charity and using film, TV and journalism to promote the best for humanity. Sadhvi’s husband Fredrik match funded all we innitially raised. The fund will make a huge difference and enable more young people to take up an internship who don’t have the financial means or parental support to do so otherwise.

STOP PRESS  In the first instance, the charity used this fund to help two young people from Ukraine, Hleb (25) & Vladlena (22) to come to the UK and be supported to work with us in 2022. They now have jobs in the media. In 2023 the charity was able to provide paid internships four more young people. Your donations will really help further aspiring young people.

We know Sadhvi would approve!

In her early 20’s, Sadhvi Sharma became a WORLDwrite volunteer. She helped develop and launch its film facility, worked on films in Ghana, the UK and India, became part of the staff team as volunteer coordinator and remained a vital member of the charity’s management committee until her untimely death. Sadhvi’s unfailing courage and commitment to the advancement of our common humanity saw her speaking up for modernization in Mumbai, challenging population control policies globally and campaigning for unfettered free speech and freedom in the UK. As an advocate of the most direct democracy possible Sadhvi believed in the capacity of us all to improve our lot.

This scholarship fund will assist young people interested in following a similarly inspiring and fearless path by developing media skills as Sadhvi did, to share ideas with the world that will make it a better place for us all.

Help Us Edit the Work of Our Brilliant Volunteers

See some fascinating debates on issues that affect us all.

Our Citizen TV volunteers filmed thirty-three debates at the Battle of Ideas Festival in November 2023

Most people maybe don’t know what it takes to get a completed video out, even a simple 1.5 hour debate. To capture, sync, (2 cameras) edit, sound clean, colour correct, add titles, straps & end credits, transcode, export, compress and upload takes a minimum of 2 days for each debate.

Thirty-three debates, sixty-six days, that’s £8,580 we need to raise, without paying anyone. There are some vital and fascinating debates here, well worth sharing with the world, but to get them completed we need to raise at least this target.

All the debates we have edited so far are available on this website here and on our WORLDwrite Youtube channel.

Please chip in what you can on our Justgiving page by clicking on the button below. Thank you.

Well Done to the WORLDwrite Battle of Ideas Festival Crew

Check out some great debates filmed by our crew

An interesting venue from a filmmaker’s point of view, the historic Church House in Westminster was taken over by the Battle of Ideas Festival.

Our stalwart crew of young volunteers filmed 33 live debates over two days! A truly epic task.

This was the first-ever live shoot for most of our volunteers and they got up early, held their nerve, remembered their training, worked very hard and went to bed very late to produce professional-quality films with no ‘do overs’.

Well done to everyone who took part.

Promoting great videos and ideas

Volunteer call out

The charity is always looking for volunteers to help ensure our videos are well watched, the website is well known and our films screen globally. Whether you are a social media guru or digital marketing aficionado or have never tried anything of the kind, your help will be invaluable. From targeting free listing sites to Facebook groups to creating memes, there is plenty to do and we’ll show you how. Just email us from where ever you are in the world and we’d be delighted to rope you in.

Jack Petchey Award Winners

Well Earned Awards

Congratulations to, from left to right: Chiara; Lily; Emma; Maria; Bushra; Shuangqing; Max; Nicky and Krista for being voted WORLDwrite Jack Petchey Young Achievers.

Each one of them earned their votes in different but equally inspiring ways and deserve this recognition from their peers.

Special thanks to the Jack Petchey Foundation for their continued support. The foundation kept the charity’s young Citizen TV maker project afloat with a Covid Recovery grant. The whole team is hugely grateful.

Ghana Appeal

Support our peers in Ghana

IF ANYONE ELSE CAN CHIP IN, PLEASE DO.

As many of you know, WORLDwrite provides at least £1500 every year to share between families in villages in some of the poorest parts of Ghana. We met them when we were filming over 15 years ago and money is handed over in cash with no strings. A few key donors who have met family members chip in and the charity provides the rest.

With the cost of living crisis, a lot of people have had a hard year here but rest assured it’s been far harder for our peers in Ghana.

We have always believed in putting our money where our mouth is and we hope everyone who believes in real freedom will do the same. We hope you will have a heart and dig deep again this year.

You can make a donation directly into the charity’s account and reference it ‘For Ghana’. The account details are Account name: Worldwrite RC 1060869, Account number: 50071380, Sort code: 089001. Thank you.

Congratulations

Achievement Award winners

Congratulations to Janith, Marianne & Anisa who were nominated and won the vote to receive Jack Petchey Foundation Youth Achievement Awards.

The Freedom Babbleon

100 liberty lovers hold forth

“Won’t you help to sing Another song of freedom” -Bob Marley

WORLDwrite’s big event for the festive season was developed with a crew of young volunteers. It was a continuous 8 hour festival of freedom online, with 100 high level speakers, top comedians, singers, writers, actors, activists and volunteers providing 4 minutes apiece on freedom and free speech. Given all the frustrations and fear that blight our lives due to Covid-19, it served to remind the world why freedom and democracy are so important for humanity to thrive. The event has been hailed as a major success and many of the inspiring 4 minute contributions are now available to watch as videos here and the full line up is here. The event raised enough to pay all the charity’s Centre bills in December too, checkout the Freedom Babbleon JustGiving page here.