Documentary Won’t Go and Gets On-Line

White Lantern Film are supporting ‘Bridging The Gap’, a community project bringing together different generations and establishing how they can help each other.

The project is to be funded through a vcashpoint grant from v, the youth volunteering charity in partnership with HSBC Bank, who are offering £1 million of grants over two years. Georgina Hurcombe set up the voluntary project having identified a need for the young and old to understand one another better. “The project was inspired by the consistent negative press which helps to alienate and widen the gap between the young and old,” she says. "It aims to raise the awareness of the isolated elderly community, with 2.2million pensioners in Great Britain living below the poverty line."

The project uses the medium of film (documentary making) to bridge the gaps between the generations through the use of workshops, screenings, and debates with councillors and key experts. As well as this, Georgina will take a group of young film-makers out into the community to film interviews with the older generation about how the youth can help support the elderly, with their short videos being uploaded on to the website of the project, www.iwontgo.com.

Georgina says volunteering is a powerful resource: “The response to ‘Bridging the Gap’ has been overwhelming.  I was very excited to be able to work with both the young and old and bring them together in this way. It’s great to think that the project can make a difference to other people and the community. Thank you to everyone involved.”

Terry Ryall, v Chief Executive, commended the project saying: “This initiative is typical of the enthusiasm and creativity of people aged 16 to 25 in the area, who are passionate about setting up projects to make something better in their community. They bring a fresh perspective and fantastic new ideas and we are delighted to be able to support this kind of innovation.”

There are more vcashpoint grants available for people aged 16 to 25 across England to make their ideas a reality.  For more information, top tips and an easy application form, visit www.vinspired.com.

Both the project and the documentary can be accessed at www.iwontgo.com